What to Do After an Accident in a Rental Car in Phuket?
After an accident in a rental car in Phuket, switch on the hazard lights and leave the cars where they are, call the police (191) or the tourist police (1155), call the rental company, and photograph the scene and the damage. Wait for the report even after a light bump: without a police report the insurer does not pay. Leaving the scene voids the insurance.
In short
- Switch on the hazard lights and do not move the cars before the police arrive, if nobody is hurt and the road is not fully blocked.
- Call the police (191) or the tourist police (1155) and the rental company: without a report made at the scene there is no insurance payout.
- Photograph the damage, the number plates and the wider scene before anything is moved.
- What you pay depends on the insurance: the excess with basic cover, nothing with full cover, all of the damage if you drove without an IDP, under the influence, or left the scene.
What should you do in the first few minutes after a crash?
First, check that nobody is hurt, switch on the hazard lights and set out a warning triangle if the car has one. Thai practice is to leave the cars in place until the report is done, if nobody is injured and the road is not fully blocked: that makes it easier for the police and both insurers to work out who was at fault.
Then call the rental company on the 24-hour number in your contract, together with the police call or right after it. MonkeyCar support speaks Russian and English, helps you deal with the police and the insurer and explains what you are asked to sign. If you rented the car from a private owner on a personal-use policy, the repairs after a crash can be put on you whatever you signed: what a tourist risks with a private owner.
More: Deposit-Free Rental. Next on this topic: What to Do If Your Rental Car Breaks Down in Phuket. Short version in the driver guide: What to do after an accident.
With full insurance from 7 days you do not pay for repairs to the car after an accident that is your fault, as long as the contract rules are followed, and no deposit is needed. How it works is on a separate page.
Deposit-Free RentalWhat must you photograph?
Photograph the scene before the cars are moved: a wide shot with signs, road markings and buildings, the position of both cars relative to each other and the road, and close-ups of all the damage. Capture the other driver's number plate and licence if they agree to show it. Both insurers assess the claim from these photos.
- The wider scene and the position of the cars
- Close-up photos of the damage from different angles
- The other driver's plate and documents
Do you need to call the police after a minor accident?
Yes, if another party is involved, even when the damage looks like a scratch: without a police report or an insurance agent's report the insurer does not open a case, and the repair falls on the renter. If no one else is involved (a post, a kerb, a stone hitting the windscreen), you do not need the police: photograph the damage and message us right away. Settling in cash on the spot is a bad idea too: the insurer may refuse to pay. Police is 191, ambulance 1669 and tourist police 1155; the tourist police speak English and help foreigners.
Do not leave the scene before the report is finished, and do not sign documents in Thai without a translation. Take a copy of the report or find out where to collect it. A detailed checklist with phone numbers is in the accident section of the driving guide.
- Police: 191, English-speaking tourist police: 1155, ambulance: 1669
- No report, no insurance payout
- Leaving the scene voids the insurance
What happens to the deposit, and who pays for repairs?
The outcome depends on your insurance and on who was at fault. With basic insurance, damage up to the ฿5,000 excess is taken from the deposit and the rest is covered by the insurance. Full Insurance removes the excess entirely. If the other driver is found at fault, the deposit is returned in full. If the car cannot be driven, the rental company will help with a replacement.
| Situation | What you pay | Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Basic insurance, accident your fault | Damage to the car up to the ฿5,000 excess | Kept up to the excess |
| Full insurance from 7 days, accident your fault | Nothing for damage to the car except wheels, glass, interior and keys, if the contract rules are followed | Not taken |
| The other driver is found at fault | Nothing | Returned in full |
| Drink-driving, no licence or no IDP, leaving the scene, someone outside the contract at the wheel | All of the damage: the insurance does not apply | Does not cap the amount |
- Full Insurance: repairs to the car are not on you
- Basic insurance: deduction limited to the excess
- Not your fault: the deposit is returned in full
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to translate the police statement myself?
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What if the accident happens at night in a remote area?
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What if the driver at fault leaves before the police arrive?
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Will the deposit be kept if the accident was not my fault?
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Can I keep driving a damaged car?
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More on this topic: Insurance, accidents and breakdowns
What Insurance Do You Need to Rent a Car in Phuket
Basic cover and Full Insurance, the excess and the deposit: what is included in the rental price and when you can drive with no deposit (full insurance from 7 days).
Read Insurance and depositRental Car Excess in Thailand: What It Is, What Pays Off
What the excess means in a Thai rental contract, how much it is at MonkeyCar, and when full insurance from 7 days beats basic cover with a deposit.
Read EmergenciesWhat to Do If Your Rental Car Breaks Down in Phuket
What to do when a rental car breaks down, who pays for towing and repairs, how MonkeyCar arranges a replacement and how to avoid a breakdown that is your fault.
ReadWhich area of Phuket should we deliver the car to?
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