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Animal hit: is damage to car covered by my car insurance?

If damage occurs to your car due to a collision with an animal, it is of course very annoying. This damage can occur in a variety of ways. It could be that on the highway a deer unexpectedly jumps in front of your car or that you accidentally hit a dog in your street. Can you claim this car damage on your auto insurance policy? What about liability?

collision-with-animal

Animal hit what now?

If you have hit a pet, then the animal's owner is liable. The law states that the owner of the pet must pay for the damage caused to your car. If you have WA limited casco or all-risk car insurance, you can claim the damage on the insurance company. The insurer will recover the damage from the pet's owner.

Claiming damage caused by a (wild) animal does not affect the no-claim discount with many insurers.

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Who is liable in animal collision?

In a collision with an animal, you must make an important distinction between animals with and without an owner. In the case of crossing wildlife, there is no owner of the animal. No one can be held liable for this. In that case it depends on the coverage of your car insurance whether you will be compensated for this damage. If you have liability insurance, there will be no coverage from the insurance company. A third party insurance only compensates damage you cause with your car to another person.

If you have WA limited casco or all-risk car insurance, then damage to your car by wild animals is almost always covered. Attention! This concerns the damage caused by the collision with the animal itself, not any damage caused by an evasive maneuver.

What to do in case of wild animal collision?

Are you involved in a collision with a wild animal? If so, contact your insurer or agent. Also, always call the police and wait for an officer or wildlife officer to arrive at the scene. They will take the animal away or try to locate the hit animal. It is illegal to drive on after an accident with a wild animal. It is also forbidden to take the hit animal yourself.
For damage caused by a collision with a wild animal you usually pay a deductible. Whether this is the case with your insurance can be found in the policy conditions.
You can try to recover the damage from the manager of the area from which the animal escaped. This is only possible if the fences or wildlife grids around the area were not in order.

Do you have any questions? Then contact us? We will be happy to help you! We can be reached on weekdays from 08:00 to 18:00 at telephone number 088-6883700.

Collision deer insurance

Did you know that an average of 500 deer, wild boar, red deer and other (large) wild animals are hit every month? This happens mainly on county roads in wooded areas and especially at night, when visibility is poorer. If you accidentally hit a deer and have damage to the car, it is difficult to hold someone liable for the damage. A deer is a wild animal and, of course, has no owner. It then depends on your car insurance coverage whether the damage will be compensated.

Deer hit by insurance

Whether your insurance will cover a collision with a deer depends on how you are insured. If you have WA + Limited Comprehensive or All-risk car insurance, you can probably claim the damage from your car insurer. With some insurers, you pay the excess if you hit a deer or other wild animal. You can find out how this works with your insurer in the policy conditions. Even if you have no damage to your car, you should call the police. The police will then arrange for a wildlife manager to locate the injured deer or pick up the deceased animal.

Dog hit by car

If your dog is hit by a car, the driver of the car may hold you liable for any damage to the car. This is because Dutch law states that the owner of an animal is liable for conduct of the animal. However, the driver must be able to prove that the dog caused the damage by its own natural behavior, for example, if the dog suddenly ran into the street. Therefore, if the dog is injured, you will probably have to pay the medical expenses yourself. For this, you may want to take out pet insurance.

Reporting a hit-and-run animal

Have you hit an animal? Then always report this to the police, and do not just drive on. This is punishable by law. By reporting a hit animal you also save the animal unnecessary suffering. Sometimes an animal is dead, but it can also be that the animal is (seriously) injured and flees. A broken jaw or leg can cause a lot of pain and suffering. To make sure that the animal does not die a miserable, painful death, a wildlife manager or hunter goes out to find the injured animal to quickly put it out of its misery.

Animal hit: who to call?

After a collision with an animal, you are required to report it to the police. Even if the animal flees. A wildlife officer can track down the animal to prevent unnecessary suffering. You can contact the police at 0900 - 8844. Is a motorist seriously injured or is there a serious traffic situation after the collision? If so, always call 911. Sometimes people think they should call the animal ambulance instead of the police. However, animals living in the wild have little to no chance of surviving after rehabilitation. Therefore, there is nothing the animal ambulance can do in this regard. When it comes to small game that has been hit and is still alive, the animal ambulance is sometimes called in.

Animals hit: what to do?

You hit an animal, what should you do now? Hitting an animal is obviously not a pleasant experience. Try to stay calm and act immediately to spare the animal unnecessary suffering. Call the police immediately at 0900 - 8844. In case of a dangerous traffic situation, it is best to call 112. Also call the police if the animal does not stay down, but flees away injured. Try as best you can to give your location so you can be easily helped. Wait for the arrival of the police or fauna manager. Also, always take pictures of the situation. Finally, never take hit wildlife. This is punishable by law.

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