Car Accident in Thailand: What to Do, Step by Step

Updated: 16 October 2026
Compiled by PrakanThai.com

It's 9 p.m. You've just clipped a motorbike at a junction. The rider has fallen but gets up. A crowd gathers and everyone is speaking Thai. You don't know who to call first, whether to move your car, or what the paper someone is holding out for you to sign actually says.

This guide is for foreigners driving in Thailand. It walks through the steps from the first minute to claiming compulsory insurance and getting your car repaired.

What should a foreigner do first after a car accident in Thailand?

Short answer: Look after people first. If anyone is hurt, call 1669 (emergency medical) or 191 (police). Foreigners can call 1155, the Tourist Police, who speak English. Then call the claims number of the insurer on your policy, take photos as evidence, and don't sign anything you can't understand. The simple rule: people first, insurer next, money last.

6 steps after an accident

1. Look after people: if anyone is hurt, call 1669 straight away. Insurance paperwork can wait and should never delay help.
2. Call the police when needed: 191, or 1155 for the English-speaking Tourist Police.
3. Call your insurer: use the number on your policy, and follow the insurer's instructions on the claims surveyor and on moving the vehicles.
4. Keep evidence: photograph the scene, every vehicle and the other party's licence plate, and note the names and phone numbers of the other party and any witnesses.
5. Don't sign or agree to any amount you don't understand. Wait for the insurer's representative.
6. Tell Prakanthai if we arranged your policy. We coordinate with the insurer for you, in English or Thai.

Insurer claims hotlines

Numbers for other insurers are on our Claims assistance page.

Someone was injured: how do you claim on CMI?

Compulsory motor insurance (CMI) pays medical costs as an initial payment of up to THB 30,000 per person, at actual cost, without waiting to establish who was at fault. A foreigner who is injured can use a passport as proof of identity.

• Which vehicle's CMI pays: when vehicles collide, people in each vehicle claim the initial payment from the CMI insurer of the vehicle they were in.
• Don't know which company insures a vehicle's CMI: call the Road Accident Victims Protection Company on 1791.
• Deadline: claim the initial payment within 180 days of the date of loss.
• When you're paid: the insurer must pay the initial amount within 7 days of receiving the request with supporting evidence.
• Hospital claims for you: some hospitals can submit the claim on your behalf. If you pay yourself, keep the original receipts and a medical certificate.

Step-by-step detail: After an accident, how do you claim on CMI? 5 steps to know

Do you have to pay for repairs upfront?

If you use a network garage or a service centre that has an agreement with the insurer, and the repair has been approved, the insurer usually pays the covered amount to the garage directly. If you choose a non-network garage or start repairs before approval, you may have to pay first and claim it back, and some amounts, such as the excess, are yours to pay.

If the garage asks you to pay, ask for an itemised bill, confirm with the insurer's claims department, and don't sign to accept an amount you don't understand. More in Why do you have to pay upfront for repairs?

What if the other driver drives off?

Report it to the police and your insurer straight away. Injured people may be able to claim an initial payment from the Road Accident Victims Fund, depending on the facts and the legal conditions. Repairs to your own car depend on your type of cover. 2+ and 3+ cover collisions with an identified vehicle, so if the other driver can't be traced, the claim may not qualify.

What if you can't get an answer from the insurer?

Contact the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC) hotline on 1186. Have your policy, claim form, repair estimate, receipts, photos and records of your contact with the insurer ready.

Want us to help with a claim? What do you need to send?

Just 3 things

1. Your policy number or vehicle registration number
2. The date, time and place of the accident
3. Photos of the damage and the insurer's claim reference number (if you have one)

If we arranged your policy, we will contact you within one working day and coordinate with the insurer in English or Thai.

LINE Official: @prakanthai · Tel. +66 2 459 2223

Frequently asked questions

Do I always need a police report?

For the CMI initial payment for medical costs, a police report is not a core document required in every case. For a car claim, follow the insurer's instructions.

Can I claim CMI if the accident was my fault?

Yes, for the initial payment from the CMI of the vehicle you were driving. A driver who is at fault receives no more than the initial payment.

I don't have a valid licence. Will insurance still pay?

CMI and cover for the other party don't all disappear. But if you have no licence and are at fault, the insurer may refuse to pay for repairs to your own car.

I crashed a rental car. Who do I call first?

Call the rental company and the insurance number in your rental agreement straight away, and don't agree to pay the other party yourself. Your deductible and deposit are set by the rental agreement. Take photos and keep the incident reference number.

Who approves claims: Prakanthai or the insurer?

The insurer assesses and pays claims. Prakanthai, as a broker, coordinates and follows up for you.

Note
This article is based on the compulsory motor insurance policy and the policy interpretation guide published by the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC), and on insurer contact numbers compiled by Prakanthai.com, as at 16 October 2026. It is general information, not part of any insurance contract, and not legal advice. Contact numbers may change as announced by the insurers. Claims are assessed and paid by the insurer. Prakanthai.com is a non-life insurance broker, not an insurer, licence no. 5104000004, serving customers since 2004. Read your policy in full.