Foreign Driver Caused an Accident in Poland — How to Claim Compensation

A foreign national — say, a tourist from Germany, France or the UK — has caused an accident in Poland. The vehicle carries foreign number plates, and you have no idea who the insurer is. What now? Who pays for the damage? Here's the procedure for anyone injured or affected as a victim in Poland.

Disclaimer: This guide is general legal information, not legal advice. How the rules apply depends on your individual circumstances, Polish law and the relevant international procedures. Where advice or representation is needed, the matter should be assessed by a qualified Polish lawyer. Twoja Sprawa helps you organise the documents for that assessment.

At the scene — what to do first

Immediate steps

Documents to gather

Document Source Why it matters
Driver's licence The foreign driver Confirms identity (may lack the usual security features you're used to)
Vehicle registration document The foreign driver Confirms the registered keeper
Green Card The foreign driver Confirms compulsory motor insurance abroad
Police report Police Establishes fault and the details of the incident
Photos and video You / witnesses Evidence of the damage

The Green Card system — an international insurance guarantee

What is a Green Card?

A Green Card is an international certificate of compulsory motor (third-party) insurance, issued by national insurers. Vehicles from countries within the system — all EU member states plus Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and others — are entitled to travel across Europe on the strength of a Green Card rather than a paper policy.

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Will the other driver actually have one?

Usually, yes — if the vehicle is registered in the EU. But they may not have it with them (it could have been left at home). If they can't produce one, you can approach the foreign National Bureau in their home country instead.

What does a Green Card show?

PBUK — the Polish Motor Insurers' Bureau

What PBUK does

PBUK (Polskie Biuro Ubezpieczycieli Komunikacyjnych) — the Polish Motor Insurers' Bureau (⚠️ restructured and now operating through UFG — Ubezpieczeniowy Fundusz Gwarancyjny, the Insurance Guarantee Fund) is Poland's National Bureau within the international system. Its role is to:

  1. Guarantee compensation for victims in Poland where the at-fault vehicle is foreign and has no Polish insurer.
  2. Deal with the foreign National Bureau (e.g. the German or French Bureau) on your behalf, via a subrogated claim.
  3. Pay you promptly, then recover the money from the foreign insurer afterwards.

Contacting PBUK / UFG

⚠️ PBUK has been absorbed into UFG (Ubezpieczeniowy Fundusz Gwarancyjny — the Insurance Guarantee Fund). Details: - Website: https://www.uokik.gov.pl - Phone: helpline numbers are published on the UFG website - Email: via the online portal (see the website).

Procedure — how to notify PBUK / UFG

  1. Report the claim to UFG (rather than directly to the at-fault driver's insurer).
  2. Send documents — police report, photos, vehicle details, Green Card (if you have it).
  3. UFG appoints a loss adjuster to assess the damage.
  4. UFG issues a decision — accepting or rejecting the claim (usually accepted where the accident happened in Poland and the vehicle is from a Green Card country).
  5. Payment — typically within 30–90 days.

Does a Green Card guarantee payment?

Usually, yes, provided: - ✅ The at-fault vehicle is registered in a Green Card system country (EU, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland). - ✅ The Green Card was valid on the day of the accident. - ✅ The at-fault vehicle can be identified (registration plate).

Problems can arise where: - ⚠️ The vehicle is from a country outside the system (e.g. Turkey, Morocco, Ukraine). - ⚠️ The driver fled the scene — the vehicle is unidentified. - ⚠️ The vehicle was stolen (the policy may not respond in that case).

What if the driver is unidentified (a hit-and-run)?

If the other vehicle drove off before you could get any details:

  1. UFG steps in automatically (under Article 98 and following of the Compulsory Insurance Act).
  2. Report it to the police as a hit-and-run.
  3. Gather evidence — photos, CCTV footage (shops, houses, petrol stations), witness statements.
  4. If the vehicle is later traced, UFG deals directly with the foreign insurer.

UFG's compensation limit is usually lower than a standard third-party policy limit (⚠️ check the current limit on the UFG website — it can change).

Step-by-step procedure

Step 1: Report to UFG (not the at-fault driver's insurer)

Contact: UFG (see details above)
What to include in your letter/email:
— Date of the accident: [date]
— Location: [town, street]
— At-fault vehicle: [registration number, make, model]
— Country of origin: [Germany, France, UK, etc.]
— Green Card: [if you have the details]
— You, the claimant: [name, address, phone number]
— Type of loss: [property damage, personal injury, or both]
— Brief description: [what happened, whether anyone was injured]

Step 2: Documents

Send UFG: - A copy of the police report. - Photos of both vehicles. - Medical certificates (if there were injuries). - Witness contact details. - A repair estimate (if you already have one).

Step 3: Loss adjuster appointed

UFG appoints a loss adjuster, who: - Visits you or your garage. - Assesses the damage. - Produces a report (usually within a week).

Step 4: UFG's decision

UFG issues a written decision: - Approval — full or partial compensation. - Rejection — rare, where the vehicle is from a Green Card system country.

Timeframe: 30 days for straightforward claims, or 90 days for more complex ones.

Step 5: Payment

UFG transfers the money to your account.

Step 6: UFG recovers the money from the foreign Bureau

UFG contacts the National Bureau in the at-fault driver's home country (e.g. the German Bureau) and pursues recovery of the sum it has paid out.

Factors affecting UFG's decision

UFG is likely to pay out where:

UFG may refuse where:

Time limits to bear in mind

Action Time limit
Reporting to UFG As soon as possible — there's no fixed deadline, but delay can weaken your claim
UFG's decision 30 days (straightforward claim) or 90 days (complex claim)
Limitation period for the claim 3 years from the date of the accident (Article 442¹ of the Polish Civil Code)

Can I sue the driver personally if they're later identified?

Yes, but you usually won't need to.

If UFG has already paid you, your claim transfers to UFG (a subrogated claim), and UFG pursues the foreign insurer on your behalf.

However, if you want to sue the at-fault driver personally — for example, to recover compensation above UFG's limit: - You can bring a claim in the Polish courts (provided the driver has been identified). - The law of the place of the accident applies — Polish law. - The procedure follows a standard Polish civil claim.

Post-Brexit: what's changed for UK-registered vehicles?

⚠️ Since Brexit (1 January 2021), the Green Card position for UK vehicles has become more complicated.

Tip: if the vehicle is UK-registered, report the claim to UFG regardless — they will know how to proceed and may have arrangements with UK insurers.

FAQ

Do I need to contact the other driver's insurer first? No — always report the claim to UFG. UFG will deal with the foreign insurer on your behalf.

How long does the process take? Typically 1–3 months from reporting the claim to receiving payment — faster than going through the courts.

Can I have someone represent me? For the UFG procedure — not strictly necessary, as it's a relatively straightforward process. But if you go to court, yes, you can be represented.

What if UFG refuses my claim? You can appeal (a complaint to UFG) or bring a court claim instead. Refusals are rare.

Can I claim more than UFG's compensation limit? Yes — you can sue the at-fault driver personally in court, if they've been identified. In practice, though, such claims can be difficult to bring.

What if the at-fault vehicle is from Ukraine or another country outside the EU? ⚠️ The procedure can be more complicated. UFG may have agreements with some non-EU countries, but not all. Report the claim to UFG regardless — they'll advise on the position.

Links and resources

Summary

An accident involving a foreign driver in Poland is not a dead end — the Green Card system works reasonably well in practice. The key steps are:

  1. At the scene: call the police and record the vehicle's details.
  2. After the accident: report the claim to UFG — not the at-fault driver's insurer.
  3. Wait: UFG appoints a loss adjuster and issues a decision.
  4. Receive compensation — usually within 1–3 months.

UFG deals with the foreign insurer on your behalf — that part isn't something you need to worry about.

Final disclaimer: This guide is for educational purposes. If your claim is substantial, or complications arise (a vehicle from outside the EU, an insurer refusing to pay), it's worth consulting a Polish lawyer.

Content last verified: 27 June 2026.

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