What should you do after an accident or a breakdown in a rental car in Tunisia? Get everyone to safety, have a report drawn up by the police or the National Guard, call the agency straight away, then send it a written statement within 24 hours. Those four steps determine whether the insurance pays out: a badly reported accident can cost far more than the excess. Here is the procedure step by step, and what the rental conditions say.
Numbers to keep in your phone
Before you even set off, save these Tunisian emergency numbers, along with the agency's number from your contract:
- 197 — Police emergency, in towns;
- 193 — National Guard, on roads outside built-up areas;
- 198 — Civil Protection (fire service);
- 190 — SAMU (ambulance).
Keep the rental contract and the vehicle papers in the glovebox too: you will be asked for them.
After an accident: the five steps
1. Make it safe. Switch on the hazard lights, get passengers out on the side away from traffic, and call the emergency services if anyone is hurt.
2. Have a report drawn up. The rental conditions require a report by the police or the National Guard. Without one, the insurance may refuse to cover the claim — even if you are not at fault. Wait at the scene for the officers, even after a minor scrape.
3. Gather the details. Note the other driver's name, address and insurer, their vehicle registration, and the contact details of any witnesses. Photograph the vehicles, their position on the road and the damage.
4. Negotiate nothing. Do not discuss who was at fault and do not reach any private settlement with the other party: the conditions forbid it, and such an agreement can cost you your cover.
5. Report it to the agency. Call the agency as soon as possible, then send it a full statement within 24 hours — by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, as the conditions require: circumstances, date, time, place, report, witnesses and details of the other party. Keep a copy.
What the insurance does not cover
The price shown includes basic insurance, with an excess you pay after an accident. Some situations fall outside the cover, however, and the repairs are then entirely yours. The rental conditions list, among others:
- a driver who is not named on the contract;
- damage with no identified third party, or caused by a serious fault (speeding, crossing a solid line);
- headlights, lights, mirrors, windscreen, bumpers, paintwork, tyres and wheel rims;
- driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or falling asleep at the wheel;
- damage that happens after the agreed return date, or on a private or closed road;
- any report made after the car has been returned.
How the excess and optional extra cover work is explained in which insurance to choose for your rental.
After a breakdown
A breakdown is not an accident, and the response is different.
Call the agency first, as it is responsible for the vehicle. Describe the symptoms and follow its instructions: it will arrange recovery or a replacement car as appropriate.
Have no repairs done anywhere without its written consent. If a repair is authorised, keep the paid invoice and the replaced parts.
What you pay for: repairs due to normal wear are paid by the agency, but a breakdown caused by running out of fuel or oil, or using the wrong fuel, is yours. So are punctures: the spare wheel is part of the equipment handed over at pick-up, so check it is inflated during the inspection.
Fines and police checks
Offences committed during the rental are the driver's responsibility. At a checkpoint, show your licence, your ID and the rental contract. How checkpoints work — they are common on main roads — is described in our guide to driving in Tunisia.
And the deposit?
After a covered accident, the excess is taken from the deposit; after excluded damage, it is the cost of repairs, up to the sums owed. To understand what can be kept and how to dispute it, read the car rental deposit in Tunisia.
If you end up in a dispute with the agency after an incident, write to our team at contact@rencaro.com: we take the case up with the partner agency.
Frequently asked questions
What number should I call after a car accident in Tunisia?
197 for the police in towns, 193 for the National Guard on the road, 198 for Civil Protection and 190 for an ambulance. Then contact the rental agency.
Is an amicable accident report enough for a rental car?
No. The rental conditions require a report by the police or the National Guard, and a written statement to the agency within 24 hours.
Who pays for a puncture on a rental car?
The renter: tyres and wheel rims are excluded from the insurance. Fit the spare wheel and let the agency know.
What should I do if my rental car breaks down?
Call the agency before anything else. No repair should be done without its written consent; normal wear remains its responsibility.
