Hundreds of thousands of uninsured vehicles are on Greek roads. If one of them hits you and the other driver is at fault, there is no insurance company to pay; there is the Auxiliary Fund (Επικουρικό Κεφάλαιο), a body funded by the companies themselves for exactly this reason.
At the scene
- Call the police. Without an official record, the case against the Fund becomes far harder. This is not the moment for an amicable settlement.
- Photographs. The positions of the vehicles before they are moved, the number plate, the damage on both sides, a wider shot of the scene.
- The driver’s and the witnesses’ details. Full name, ID number, phone. An uninsured driver usually wants to leave quickly.
- Sign nothing that describes the accident differently from what happened.
How it differs from a normal claim
- The limits are lower than the limits of a normal third-party liability policy.
- It is slow. The process is measured in months rather than weeks, and often goes through court.
- You will need a lawyer. This is where legal protection proves its worth: it costs a few euros a year and this is exactly the case it exists for.
How to protect yourself in advance
Two covers, both cheap:
- Legal protection: it pays the lawyer who will make the claim.
- Own damage (comprehensive): your own company pays immediately and then goes after the Fund instead of you. This is the least discussed advantage of comprehensive cover and, for many people, the most practical one.