{"product_id":"kfz-unfallgutachten","title":"Car Accident Damage Appraisal","description":"\u003cp\u003eA passenger car is a unitary body with defined crumple zones, and spread across the front half of the vehicle today sits a network of cameras, radar sensors and crash sensors. After an accident, it is therefore not the visible sheet metal damage that determines the size of your claim, but what lies behind the bumper cover, the fender and the windshield. We appraise compact cars, sedans, station wagons, SUVs and vans and hand you a signed appraisal report with which you can quantify your claim against the at-fault party's liability insurer in full and line by line.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat the appraisal report covers\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBody and structure:\u003c\/strong\u003e bolt-on panels, frame rails, strut towers, rocker panels, wheel houses and cross members. With unitary construction the impact travels on through the structure, so the load path is traced to the last deformed seam.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFrame and wheel alignment measurement:\u003c\/strong\u003e electronic measurement of the mounting points and of the wheel geometry as soon as the impact has reached the front end, the rear end or the suspension. Only the measured values show whether a part can be straightened or has to be replaced.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAirbags and restraint systems:\u003c\/strong\u003e deployed front, side and curtain airbags, belt tensioners, belt force limiters, crash sensors in the door area and in the front end, and the airbag control unit, whose stored crash record forces replacement rather than repair.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDriver assistance systems and calibration:\u003c\/strong\u003e the front camera behind the windshield, radar sensors in the front and rear bumpers, ultrasonic sensors, lane cameras and surround-view cameras. Every one of these sensors has to be recalibrated after replacement or removal, either statically using a calibration target or dynamically over a defined stretch of road. On modern passenger cars this is a cost item in its own right, often in the four-figure range, and one that insurers are fond of overlooking or cutting across the board when they review the claim.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrior damage:\u003c\/strong\u003e separating the current damage from older damage by means of paint thickness measurement, panel gaps, traces of previous repairs and the vehicle history, so that the insurer cannot cut your claim down by pointing to an earlier incident.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDiminished value:\u003c\/strong\u003e the market-based diminished value on the basis of age, mileage, market segment and extent of damage. On a passenger car, documented accident damage weighs particularly heavily on resale, because the used car market pays noticeably more for accident-free vehicles.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDowntime and values:\u003c\/strong\u003e a realistic repair duration including parts availability and the calibration appointment, classification into the loss-of-use compensation group according to vehicle class and age, plus the replacement value and the salvage value in the event of a constructive total loss.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow it works\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAppointment:\u003c\/strong\u003e you report the damage and we inspect the vehicle at your home, at your workplace, at the repair shop or at the towing company, depending on whether the car is still driveable and roadworthy.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eInspection:\u003c\/strong\u003e recording of all damage with photo documentation, reading out the fault memory, checking the restraint systems and sensors, measuring paint thickness and comparing the findings with any identifiable prior damage.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCalculation:\u003c\/strong\u003e the repair route in line with the manufacturer's specifications, that is, using the joining and repair procedures the manufacturer has approved for high-strength steels and aluminum, supplemented by calibration work, diminished value, downtime and vehicle values.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery:\u003c\/strong\u003e you receive the appraisal report digitally, as a rule on the same business day once it is complete. On request, a copy goes directly to the insurer, your attorney and the repair shop.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv style=\"background:#e8f0fd;color:#132038;border-left:4px solid #1565d8;border-radius:8px;padding:16px 20px;margin:22px 0\"\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"color:#132038;margin:0\"\u003e\n    \u003cstrong style=\"color:#0d3e8f\"\u003eOn the cost:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n    After a not-at-fault accident, the cost of the appraisal report is\n    generally borne by the liability insurer of the other party. On request\n    we bill that insurer directly, so that you do not have to pay up front.\n  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently asked questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy is the calibration of the assistance systems listed as a separate item?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause it is work in its own right. If a windshield is replaced or a bumper removed, the front camera and the radar lose their alignment and have to be measured in again. Without this item in the appraisal report, the insurer will not pay for it later.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDo deployed airbags and the control unit have to be replaced?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a rule, yes. Pyrotechnic units are single-use components, and the airbag control unit stores the crash permanently. We record every deployed component, belt tensioners included, individually, because together they account for a considerable share of the repair costs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe car already had prior damage. Does that make an appraisal report pointless?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the contrary, that is when it matters most. We separate the new damage from the old one using paint thickness, panel gaps and traces of previous repairs, and we document that separation. Without it, experience shows the prior damage will be used against your entire claim.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIs an appraisal report worthwhile for minor sheet metal damage as well?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBelow the minor-damage threshold, a repair estimate is usually enough. Above it, an appraisal report is almost always worthwhile, because only the report captures diminished value, downtime and hidden damage. On modern vehicles that threshold is quickly exceeded by the sensors in the bumper alone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"border-top:1px solid #dfe6f0;padding-top:14px;margin-top:24px\"\u003e\n  More on this in our guide:\n  \u003ca href=\"\/en\/blogs\/ratgeber\/wer-zahlt-unfallgutachten\"\u003eWho pays for the accident damage appraisal?\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"PKW GUTACHTER","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53451423023370,"sku":"GUT-KFZ-UNF","price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0958\/2732\/9290\/files\/image-4d367cba-a976-4885-a77a-327c9ecfc5e2.png?v=1786477614","url":"https:\/\/pkw-gutachter-0ykhngyr.myshopify.com\/en\/products\/car-accident-damage-appraisal","provider":"PKW Gutachter","version":"1.0","type":"link"}