Independent damage assessment, legally valid documentation and reliable claims settlement – throughout Germany as well as in the Netherlands and Belgium.
A damage report – also called an accident report or vehicle appraisal – is an official written document that expertly determines the nature, extent and cause of damage to an object and quantifies the economic loss. It is prepared by an independent expert and forms the decisive basis for settling claims with insurers, opposing parties and courts.
Unlike a simple repair quote from a garage, a damage report is neutral, complete and legally reliable: it records not only visible damage but also hidden damage, diminished market value, loss in value and the expected loss of use – all based on recognised assessment methods.
Typical contents of a damage report:
We have dedicated, detailed pages for the two main areas. Choose yours:
An independent damage report protects your claims and ensures a fair, complete settlement.
After a traffic accident or a third-party liability claim, an independent accident report secures your claims in full. It documents the damage objectively and prevents the other party's insurer from downplaying the damage or striking out items.
Whether comprehensive cover, storm, hail or vandalism damage – when settling through your own insurer, a damage report ensures that all items of damage are recorded in full and not arbitrarily reduced.
In the event of an economic total loss, the report determines the replacement value and the residual value of the vehicle or object. This is the basis for a correct compensation calculation – and protects against an insurer paying out too little.
A damage report is legally valid evidence. In disputed liability questions, claims against opposing parties or disputes with insurers, it provides the neutral, professionally sound basis that courts and lawyers need.
For showmen and businesses, a damage report is also the basis for proving loss of earnings and business interruption losses. It makes consequential economic losses verifiable and improves the chances of full compensation.
Even after a professional repair, an object often loses value – known as diminished market value. A damage report establishes this loss in value and secures your claim for compensation against the party at fault or the insurer.
A damage report follows clear steps: after commissioning, the damage is inspected in person and carefully documented. Repair costs, the extent of the damage and the relevant values are then determined in a verifiable way and recorded in the report.
You contact us – at short notice if needed. We discuss the object, how the damage occurred and the purpose of the report (insurance, court, settlement).
Our expert inspects the object in person, documents all damage photographically and checks for hidden consequential damage.
Repair costs, replacement value, residual value, diminished market value and loss of use are determined and derived using recognised methods.
The finished, reliable and on-schedule damage report is issued to you – legally valid, recognised by insurers and ready to use immediately.
Damage to fairground equipment and temporary structures requires particularly deep expertise. As a firm of independent experts specialising in this segment, we know the particularities of funfair attractions, rides, food trucks, concession trailers, circus tents and show and event structures – and we know what matters in damage assessment and repair cost calculation in this niche.
In assessing damage we consider not only the obvious damage but also hidden damage, consequential damage and the specialist personnel required for the repair, as well as particularities such as historic components in historic rides or individual conversions and modernisations. Loss-of-earnings costs and the economic loss caused by the object being out of service are also included in the assessment.
We prepare damage reports for fairground equipment, temporary structures and vehicles throughout Germany as well as in the Netherlands and Belgium – reliably, on schedule and at short notice.
A professional vehicle damage report is the most important document after an accident or loss. It secures your claims in full – regardless of whether you are negotiating with the other party's insurer, your own comprehensive insurer or the party that caused the damage. A report from an independent expert carries considerably more weight than a garage's repair quote.
We bring particular expertise to classic cars, special vehicles and vehicles with individual conversions as well as commercially used vehicles, trucks and vans – vehicle types where standard calculation software regularly produces incorrect valuations.
In an accident that was not your fault, the other party's liability insurer covers the cost of the report – this is recognised by German courts. For own damage settled through comprehensive cover, many insurers also cover the cost of the report. If in doubt, clarify in advance.
As a rule, an independent damage report is worthwhile from a loss of around 700–750 euros. For minor damage below that, a repair quote is often sufficient. For fairground equipment and special vehicles, a report is generally advisable, as standard calculations frequently underestimate the damage.
A garage prepares a repair quote out of its own commercial interest. An independent expert, on the other hand, has no vested interest – the assessment is purely neutral and complete. Their report also covers items such as loss in value and loss of use, which a repair quote does not include.
No – the vehicle or object should not be repaired before the expert's inspection. Once damage has been remedied, it can no longer be documented in full. This can significantly reduce your claim for compensation.
An economic total loss exists when the repair costs exceed the replacement value minus the residual value. The report determines all three values and establishes whether a repair makes economic sense – or whether the insurer must pay the replacement value minus the residual value.
We work reliably and on schedule – as a rule the report is ready within a few working days of the inspection. If needed urgently, short-notice appointments and express reports are also possible.
Tell us about your case – we will respond quickly and prepare a professional, independent damage report for you. Short-notice appointments are also possible.