Italy relies on digital accident reporting: CAI form now online!

Italy relies on digital accident reporting: CAI form now online!

Since July 1, 2025, there has been a significant innovation in dealing with traffic accidents in Italy: the digital CAI form (Constatazione Amichevole di Incidente). This development is in the context of the increasing number of accidents, as around 1.8 million traffic accidents were registered in 2024, 80% of which were settled through a direct compensation system. This makes correct and timely reporting of accidents even more important. Many Germans travel to Italy in the summer months, often by car, which increases the risk of accidents on Italian roads. The introduction of a digital form for accident reporting is therefore particularly relevant.

The digital CAI form can be used via apps and websites, although there is also an analogue version. Insurance companies are obliged to offer their customers this digital filling option. The use of the new digital form is voluntary, which the Italian authorities attach great importance to. It is therefore up to the drivers whether they want to use the digital or the traditional paper form.

Advantages and requirements of the digital form

In order to fill out the digital CAI form, important data such as location, date, license plate numbers of the vehicles and the course of the accident must be recorded as usual. A digital signature is required, which is provided via the digital identity (CID) or the electronic identity card (CIE). Digitalization aims to improve the quality of transmitted data as well as reduce material errors and simplify the transmission of documents. Luigi Mercurio, President of Aiped (Associazione Italiana Periti Estimatori Danni), highlights that the processing time of the form will still be between 24 and 48 hours, so the speed of claims processing will not be significantly affected by this innovation.

It is also emphasized that the accident report is widespread in Europe and is primarily used to record the course of the accident, not to assign blame. In Germany there are similar third-party apps for filling out the accident report, but carrying such applications is not mandatory.

Support for users

To ensure that even less experienced users are not disadvantaged when completing the digital CAI form, Italian insurance companies have a responsibility to offer appropriate support. This decision was made to ensure easy access to digital services in road transport. This initiative takes a further step towards the digitalization of the insurance sector, which is of great importance for drivers given such innovations.

In summary, the introduction of the digital CAI form in Italy represents a fundamental change in the way traffic accidents are handled, which could significantly facilitate both the reporting and processing of such events. This innovation comes at just the right time to meet the challenges posed by increased traffic volumes, especially in summer.

For more details on this topic you can read the reports from Buzzfeed and RoboReporter read.