A specialty vehicle has no market price you could look up. For a station wagon, every valuation system will produce a replacement value; for an aerial work platform, a crane body, a refrigerated box or a funeral vehicle there are simply no comparable offers from which a price could be read off. We appraise specialty vehicles after an accident and derive the value instead from the base vehicle and the current value of the bodywork – every item with its calculation and its source, so that the derivation holds up when the insurer examines it. You receive a signed appraisal report that quantifies the damage to the chassis and to the body separately and makes the special value of your vehicle provable.
✓Your right to choose your own expert – guaranteed by law
✓A personal contact, no waiting on hold
✓On site across Europe
✓Report usually within 24 hours of the inspection
What the appraisal report covers
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Base vehicle: damage to the chassis, cab, axles, steering and drivetrain, plus a frame measurement where the impact has run into the load-bearing structure – the foundation the body sits on.
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Body and special equipment: aerial work platform, crane and loading body, refrigerated box, workshop vehicle, retail fit-out, rescue and fire service equipment, wheelchair-accessible conversion or funeral fit-out – recorded and calculated separately, because in this class the body is regularly worth more than the vehicle beneath it.
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Deriving value without a comparable market: since there are no comparable offers on the market, we build the value from the base vehicle plus the current value of the bodywork and document every step of that derivation so it can be followed. No insurer accepts a figure that is merely asserted.
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Records for the conversion: individual vehicle approvals under the German Road Traffic Licensing Regulations, expert reports for individual approvals and test certificates for the body are recorded and matched to the appraisal report. Where they are missing, the added value over the standard vehicle is hard to prove – we set out what is on file and what needs to be supplied.
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Function after the impact: hydraulics, stability and outriggers, lifting gear, refrigeration, medical or operational fit-outs – we check whether the special equipment still works as intended and safely after the loss.
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Diminished value: market-based diminished value, taking account of the fact that a specialty vehicle will later pass on to only a very small group of buyers.
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Downtime: for many specialty vehicles there is no rental option – a replacement car from a hire company is no substitute for a work platform or a refrigerated box. We treat this point separately and document the repair duration as the basis for downtime compensation.
How it works
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Appointment: you report the damage and we come to the vehicle – to the depot, the construction site, the station or the body workshop, wherever it stands.
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Inspection: recording of chassis and body, functional testing of the special equipment, photo documentation and a review of the approvals and test certificates on file.
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Calculation: repair route separated by automotive workshop and body manufacturer, together with the documented derivation of value from the base vehicle and the current value of the bodywork.
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Delivery: 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 and your attorney.
On the cost:
After a not-at-fault accident, the cost of the appraisal report is
generally borne by the liability insurer of the other party. On request
we bill that insurer directly, so that you do not have to pay up front.
Frequently asked questions
How is a value determined when there are no comparable vehicles?
Through derivation rather than market comparison. We assess the base vehicle by the usual criteria and add the current value of the body, derived from the purchase price, year of build, operating hours and condition. What matters is that every step of the calculation is set out in the report and remains open to examination.
What happens if approvals or test certificates are missing?
It becomes more work, but it is not hopeless. We record which documents are on file and which are missing, and support the added value of the conversion instead with invoices, manufacturer documentation and our findings on site. Approvals supplied subsequently strengthen your position with the insurer considerably.
I cannot get a rental vehicle with comparable bodywork. What then?
That is precisely what belongs in the appraisal report. For work platforms, refrigerated boxes or rescue vehicles there is often no rental option that covers the downtime. We document the repair duration and the absence of any substitute, so that the downtime can be claimed as an item in its own right.
Is the body calculated by the same shop as the vehicle?
As a rule, no. Sheet metal and drivetrain damage runs through the automotive workshop; lifting gear, crane, refrigeration or a wheelchair-accessible conversion run through the body manufacturer or a certified specialist workshop. Both routes are shown separately in the appraisal report, each with the rates that apply.
More on this in our guide:
Total loss and the 130 percent rule
