The Crime Victims’ Compensation Recovery Assistance Service (SARVI) of the Guarantee Fund for Victims can help you recover the damages awarded by the court at the end of a criminal trial.
For more information on compensation
The SARVI complements the compensation system for victims of crime based on the Crime Victims Compensation Boards (CIVI) and entrusted to the Guarantee Fund for Victims of Terrorist and Other Criminal Acts (FGTI).
It is aimed at victims who have suffered minor personal injury or certain damage to property, who cannot be compensated before the CIVI and who often have difficulty in enforcing court rulings, leaving an unpleasant feeling of impunity and ineffectiveness.
Learn about the different steps in the procedure, explained through a specific case in the video below :
Submit your claim
Compensation forms relating to a collective matter
Form SARL Bretagne Habitations
Form French Company of renewables
To go further in the conditions of compensation :
What you can receive
→ If the amount you are owed is less than or equal to € 1,000: the full amount.
→ If the amount of you are owed is greater than € 1,000:
- 30% of the total amount, with a minimum of € 1,000 and a maximum of € 3,000,
- recovery assistance, which means that the SARVI will take care of collecting the outstanding balance from the convicted person within the limits of the legal mandate that you have assigned to it through your referral. Each quarter, you will be notified of the results of the actions taken on your behalf.
Consequently, this procedure excludes the possibility of you yourself hiring a bailiff.
The SARVI uses the legal means available to it under the law. However, it is limited by the convicted person’s ability to repay the debt. Recovery is therefore very uncertain.
For example: if the amount of damages and the legal costs awarded amounts to € 2,500, an advance corresponding to the minimum of € 1,000 is paid to you.
On the other hand, if the amount awarded is € 12,000, the advance paid will be € 3,000, which corresponds to the legal maximum.
Conditions to be met to apply to the SARVI (conditions are cumulative)
- You must be a natural person; legal entities (companies, associations, etc.) are therefore not eligible
- You must be in possession of a final court decision, which means one that is no longer subject to appeal (appeal, opposition or cross-appeal)
- You must not have been compensated by the perpetrator (the convicted person) in the two months following the date on which the court decision became final
- You must submit your claim no later than one year from the date on which the court decision became final
- You must not have been compensated by the Crime Victims Compensation Board (CIVI) pursuant to Article 706-3 of the French Code of Criminal Procedure. If you have requested compensation from the CIVI and your claim has been rejected, the rejection of your claim will result in a new one-year period for referring the matter to the SARVI.
List of supporting documents to include with your claim
Required documents:
- Recovery Assistance Claim form
- copy of a valid proof of identity
- bank account number (RIB) under the victim’s name or CARPA RIB
- Attestation on honour, dated less than two months ago and signed, indicating non-payment or the amount received from the perpetrator or your insurer or the payment schedule
- A complete copy of the criminal ruling awarding you damages, bearing the executory formula
- Certificate of no recourse
Optional documents:
- In order to facilitate the recovery of the sums from the perpetrator, all additional information in your possession can be provided, in particular concerning their income (e.g. how to contact their employer) or their assets (e.g. the list and address of property(-ies) they own). These elements can be sent to us on plain paper.
Recommendations for compiling your claim
- Sending a black and white photocopy of the enforceable ruling is sufficient. Keep your original copy
- We recommend sending your claim by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt
- Only complete claims will be considered.