Who bears the accident reports?

• What is a ‍? A report from a motor vehicle expert, which documents the damage following a traffic accident.
• costs: Vary and are influenced by many factors, such as the amount of damage, scope of the report, region and expert rates. Depending on the amount of damage, extent or region, for example, and they can range between 300 — 1500 euros.
• Who covers the costs? As a rule, the culprit's insurance, when liability is clear.
• When is it free? The report is free of charge for the injured party if the opponent is clearly responsible for causing the accident and therefore assumes his insurance.

What is an accident report?

In the event of an accident, it is important that the damage caused is documented. This is where the accident report comes in. This is prepared by a motor vehicle expert or an independent expert.

The car appraiser determines the amount of damage, the repair costs and also the replacement value of a car, and if it is a total loss, residual value of the accident car. In addition, the expert is able to make statements about the cause of the accident, the course of the accident and the mechanics of the accident and thus make assessments of the accident.

All this information is recorded in the accident report.

An accident report is necessary for claims settlement, legal disputes and insurance costs. The report is forwarded to various parties, including the injured party, their own insurance and the opposing insurance company. If there is a legal case, the report is also submitted to a lawyer and the court. The motor vehicle repair shop responsible for the repair also receives the accident report with a list of all damage as a detailed template showing which damage to the car must be repaired.

Since that Motor vehicle report also provides information about the amount of damage and repair costs, the car repair shop can calculate exactly the costs, as these often have to be clarified with the insurance company of the person who caused the accident.

Costs of an accident report

The costs of an accident report are not fixed and vary due to various factors. This includes the extent and nature of the damage, the region and the expert. Each of these factors influences appraisal costs.

The extent and nature of the damage as a factor

The extent and nature of the damage are the main factors that influence accident reports costs. The more complex and extensive the damage is, the more complex and detailed the report must be. This is in turn reflected in the appraisal costs.

Minor damage: In the case of minor damage, such as scratches in the paint or dents in the sheet metal, which do not require a major repair, the appraisal costs are usually also low. Here, the resulting accident damage can be quickly assessed by motor vehicle experts, in a short period of time and with few resources. Such a simple report can cost between 300-500 euros.

Major damage: If the accident damage is greater, e.g. if the accident vehicle has significant body damage or technical defects, the costs of the accident report also rise significantly. In such cases, the motor vehicle report must calculate the amount of damage and detailed repair costs and possibly also determine the residual value or replacement value of the car. Depending on the severity of the damage, such reports can cost between 800 and 1500 euros.

Complex cases: In a traffic accident, it is often unclear what exactly happened and questions arise such as who is to blame? There are usually different perspectives of the accident, which is why it is important to reconstruct the course of the accident on the basis of an on-site assessment. This allows an expert or motor vehicle appraiser to clarify the liability issue. Such services require a lot of time and experience on the part of the automotive expert. As a result, appraisal costs are significantly higher.

Regional differences

The costs of the report can vary significantly due to the region in which the report is prepared. The price fluctuates based on local living costs, demand for expert reports and competition between experts

Major cities: In large cities such as Berlin, Munich or Cologne, the costs of a car appraisal are higher due to higher living costs. These also have an effect on the car appraiser, which is why costs are rising. In addition, there is often a higher demand for accident reports in cities, which is the price of a Claims report It also drives up. Here, an expert opinion can cost over 1000 euros in the event of medium damage.

Rural regions: The costs of an accident report are lower here than in urban areas, as living costs are lower and the demand for motor vehicle reports is also not as high. The costs here can be between 500 — 800 euros for a similar amount of damage.

Expert as a factor

The expert himself also influences the value of the report. Many factors play into the report, such as qualification and experience, reputation or independence from the reviewer. Expert costs may fluctuate as a result of these factors.

Experience and qualification: If the expert has many years of experience, he will usually ask for more for an expert opinion than a motor vehicle master who has only recently worked as an appraiser. In the event of a claim in which the report is carried out by an experienced expert, more money will also be required, as the expert can prepare a more detailed and comprehensive report.

Specialization: Some appraisers specialize in specific vehicle types or damage, such as an accident involving a high-value car or car appraisal of old timers. Due to their specialization, the experts can also charge more money for an order, as certain expertise and in-depth analyses are required.

Call of the reviewer: The court or insurance company often prefer a motor vehicle report from an expert who is known for his professionalism. This makes the expert report more expensive, but also offers more certainty in settling claims.

Independence: An independent appraiser usually charges a higher price than one who is employed by an insurance company or a car dealership. However, independence ensures a more objective claim assessment, which benefits the victim of the accident.

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Who bears the costs of the vehicle report?

In Germany, the person responsible for an accident must pay for the damage, which includes the costs of an accident report. This is regulated in the BGB with the claim for damages.

Liability insurance of the person responsible for the accident

If a car accident is clearly caused by a person, their liability insurance covers the costs of the accident report. This is a liability claim.

In such a case, it is important that the victim of the accident commissions an independent report and does not rely on the insurance of the other party involved in the accident. For minor damages below the minor claim limit of around 750 EUR, a cost estimate from a workshop is often sufficient.

Comprehensive insurance

If you, as the person responsible for the accident, have full or partial comprehensive insurance, this can cover the costs. However, the exact contract must be considered, as there may be a deductible, as comprehensive insurance mainly pays for the repair.

special cases

In the event of an unclear question of guilt or disputes, it may be that your own insurance company covers the costs first and later reclaims it from the insurance company of the other party involved in the accident, or you may first have to advance the appraisal costs yourself.

In which case is an expert opinion free of charge?

If certain points are met, the accident report is free of charge as an injured party. These points depend on the question of guilt, the type of damage and the insurance.

The question of guilt must be clearly clarified

If the fault for the accident has been clearly clarified and the car accident was clearly caused by the other party involved in the accident, the other party's liability insurance covers all costs incurred as a result of the report.

One such case is, for example, when damage occurs because a vehicle disregards a stop sign or the right of way rules and therefore causes an accident. This is a liability claim where the insurance company covers the accident report costs.

Direct billing with insurance

The injured party also does not have to make any advance payment if the motor vehicle appraiser settles the costs directly with the motor insurance company of the person who caused the accident.

However, the requirement here is that the question of guilt has been clarified and the damage is above the minor limit, otherwise the opposing car insurance company can demand that only a cost estimate be made instead of a complex motor vehicle accident report.

Right to own car appraiser

It is important for injured parties to know that they may hire their own appraiser, even if generic insurance provides one. In order for the motor vehicle report to be prepared independently and objectively, it is important for the injured party that he can hire his own expert and that the opposing insurance company must still bear the costs.

FAQ

Do I have to pay the costs for the accident report myself?

No, in most cases, the liability insurance of the person responsible for the accident covers the costs

Can I choose my own reviewer?

Yes, you have the right to choose a car appraiser of your choice; the costs are covered by the opposing insurance company, provided that the question of guilt is clear.

What happens if the question of guilt is unclear?

It may be that the accident reports must first be borne by yourself. If it turns out later that the other party involved in the accident is to blame, the costs will be reimbursed.

How high are the typical costs of a car appraisal?

The costs vary depending on, for example, the amount of damage, extent or region and can range between 300 — 1500 euros.

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