Until recently, I was
among tens of thousands of expat motorists who feared that coping with a
road accident in Spain
Fortunately there was no dispute about the circumstances of the accident so filling in the details was a formality, complete with a mutually-agreed illustration of the point of impact. Even if my contribution did look like the weavings of a spider across a technicolor web.
OK, we would all have a problem if the other
party involved was as physically aggressive as some of the lunatic speeders I
see on Spanish roads, which are happily a lot less congested than their UK counterparts..
I’m talking about the stress, not only of having
a bump, but the red tape that inevitably follows a collision. You know, things like accident report
forms, dealing with insurance companies, organising repairs and the general
inconvenience of it all.
Well, now I know – thanks to a blind young idiot who
drove out of a service station near Alicante
Airport
And I can now reveal that getting it sorted
ain’t anywhere near as bad as you might fear.
My Kia got the worst of it and while it remained
driveable, the front offside ended up looking rather mangled. But I was lucky on
several points. It was a sunny Sunday afternoon, I had a passenger who speaks
fluent Spanish – and the young man who hit me so Smartly was working for a major car rental firm.
In fact, he had been filling hire cars with fuel
all day, which came in useful as an excuse. ‘‘Lo siento. Estoy muy cansado y
no vi su coche,’’ he told my friend Beverley Ballesteros as we
filled in the obligatory accident report form. In other words, he was very tired and simply did not see my car.
Until that moment, I had no idea that such a report
form existed. But what a good concept it is (not that the UK would ever adopt anything thought up by foreigners, of course).
The idea is that both parties in any accident fill in their respective versions of what happened - and also draw a diagram of the collision.
There were a couple of these forms in my glove compartment, where I had deposited all the documents relating to the car soon after I bought the vehicle in 2007.
Just as well I remembered they were there!
The idea is that both parties in any accident fill in their respective versions of what happened - and also draw a diagram of the collision.
Just as well I remembered they were there!
Fortunately there was no dispute about the circumstances of the accident so filling in the details was a formality, complete with a mutually-agreed illustration of the point of impact. Even if my contribution did look like the weavings of a spider across a technicolor web.
Since the Smart car was insured on Europa’s
all-embracing Axa policy, I already knew the scenario would not cost
me financially. And from the professional and helpful way my insurers, Linea Directa, subsequently dealt
with my side of the argument, I have
absolutely no doubt they would have got me home muy pronto even had the Kia been undriveable.
And what's more, there's no need to worry if your Spanish is not
up to it - because their staff speak perfect English.
And what's more, there's no need to worry if your Spanish is not
up to it - because their staff speak perfect English.
As it was, I was able to limp back to my house in Guardamar - some 25 miles away -
with only the car showing any bruises. Even though it was a Sunday I was able to make contact with Linea
Directa – and within 24 hours all the relevant details, including the accident
report form, were in their hands via phone and email.
Since there was no dispute over blame, all that
was left was for me to arrange a repairer. And I doubt I could have found
a better or more helpful, convenient and efficient company than the British-owned Elite Chapa Y
Pintura, who were recommended to me by a friend.
The only inconvenience during the entire episode was
having to leave the car at Elite’s repair centre in Los Montesinos – ten minutes from where I live – for
the Linea Directa assessor to sanction the repairs. OK, I was without the
vehicle for half a day, but since Elite provided me with a lift home and returned
my vehicle after the assessor’s visit, I have no complaints.
As for as the actual repairs, they were
completely painless since I was by then away in England Manchester
My ordeal was behind me, my Kia looked as good
as new, and I still had my full no-claims bonus. My fears about coping had been
banished.
So if you’re an expat motorist worrying that it might
happen to you, don’t. Apart from the initial shock of the accident, I’d
go through it all again. Any time.
Providing it's only a little bump, of course.
Providing it's only a little bump, of course.
