A minor collision in a Geneva parking space: what to do in the first hour

Five things to do, before you even think about the repair

Five steps happen within the hour, and four of them cannot be done after the event, once everyone has gone home.

• Take photos. The damage close up, the position of the cars from further away, the plates. These pictures will be used for the claim, and they cannot be retaken once the cars have been moved.
• Do not throw away broken parts. A door mirror, a hubcap, a piece of a light: keep everything in the boot.
• Fill in the accident statement on the spot, with the other driver.
• Do not commit to any repair before you have spoken to us. Have nothing repaired before the car has been seen.
• Then call us on 076 429 04 12. From that call on, we take over: insurer, inspection of the car, repair.

Should you call your insurer or the body shop first?

You will make both calls anyway. The order, however, decides what you will have to carry yourself: a car that has already been repaired by the time the insurer has it inspected is a claim that gets argued over.

Report the claim, leave the car as it is, and have it seen before any repair. The workshop then handles the claim.

What if the car you hit is empty?

In a parking space, the other driver is not always there. The Road Traffic Act then requires you to inform the injured party straight away, giving your name and address. If that is impossible, you must inform the police without delay. Source: Federal Road Traffic Act (SVG/LCR), Art. 51 (in French), accessed on 01.10.2026.

Does signing the accident statement mean admitting liability?

No. Your signature confirms that the facts written down are accurate; it is not an admission of liability. The European Accident Statement includes a sketch of the situation and, if there are any, the names and addresses of witnesses. If nobody is injured, you do not have to call the police. Source: Valais cantonal police, “Constat européen d’accident : mode d’emploi” (in French), accessed on 01.10.2026.

What happens once you have called the workshop

We get in touch with your insurer, report the claim, follow up the inspection of the car and keep you informed. You do not have to chase your own claim.

If it is an insurance claim, give us the name of your insurer on the very first call. That saves us a call, and saves you one more explanation.

Should a minor collision be reported?

Your insurance terms cannot be guessed from the pavement: partial or full casco (part- or fully comprehensive cover) depending on your cover, and an excess of your own. Reread your policy before you decide. This page describes what the workshop does; it does not say what your contract covers, which is yours alone.

If your insurer then points you to its own garage, the question of choice is covered in Your insurer suggests its own garage.

If anything is unclear, call us: we will go through it with you before anything is committed.

Prepare your quote request while everything is fresh

You request your quote online, at any time. No message to leave on an answering machine and no waiting for opening hours: you fill in the form whenever it suits you, evenings and weekends included.

You mark the affected area on a diagram of the car: it has 17 of them, from the bonnet to the two door mirrors. You tick the type of damage: scratch, dent, deep dent, broken part, broken glass. You attach the photo taken at the scene. A field for insurance claims takes the name of your insurer. The quote is free.

To see what the cost of a scratch left by the bump will depend on, read A scratch on a car door: what does the cost depend on?

The workshop is at this address: Avenue Pictet-de-Rochemont 33ter, 1207 Genève, in Eaux-Vives. Open Monday to Friday, 7.30 am – 12 noon and 1 pm – 5.30 pm. The form never closes.

See also: Accidents and insurance, what to do with your insurer.