Accident with your truck, coach or tractor in Germany? We inspect commercial vehicles from 3.5 t on site – independent, court-proof and 100 % free of charge if you were not at fault. The other party's insurer pays. For drivers and hauliers from every country.
Accident in Germany? We help you in your language.
Some of Europe's busiest transit routes run through Germany. If you are involved in an accident here that was not your fault, you have exactly the same rights as any German driver – no matter where you come from. We explain everything to you in your language.
Your rights after an accident that was not your fault
You choose your own independent expert – not the insurer's.
The other party's liability insurer pays for the report, repair, loss in value and downtime.
We inspect your vehicle on site – service area, depot or workshop.
The report goes directly to the insurer.
You receive the report digitally – ready to forward to your haulage company, fleet manager or lawyer back home.
Report the accidentSecure the scene, call the police (110) and note the file number.
Note the other partyWrite down the licence plate, insurer and contact details – use the European Accident Statement.
Secure evidencePhotograph the damage, vehicle positions, load and road. Do not sign anything you do not understand.
Contact usSend photos via WhatsApp – in English is fine. We come to your vehicle.
Expert reports for everything that carries weight.
When heavy payloads are involved, a car expert's view is not enough. Chassis, axles, body and coupling must be assessed professionally – otherwise you lose money.
Trucks & semi-trailers
From 7.5 t to 40 t
Rigid trucks, drawbar combinations and tractor units of all makes – in distribution and long-haul traffic.
Agriculture
Tractors & farm machinery
Tractors, implements and trailers – at harvest time every day counts.
Passenger transport
Buses & coaches
City, touring and minibuses – including passenger area, door systems and downtime.
Trailers & semi-trailers
Curtainsider, reefer, tipper, tanker, silo, low-loader, car transporter.
Vans from 3.5 t
Box and flatbed vehicles in trades and parcel logistics.
Including high-voltage battery, charging port and safety check.
From our practice
What looks small quickly becomes expensive on a truck.
A dented cab corner often affects cab mounts, headlamp brackets or the chassis. We document exactly these hidden damages – so the insurer pays for everything.
Accident damage MAN TGX – front & cabDamaged trailer curtainCoach from Poland – rear damageDAF tractor unit with curtainsiderDeutz-Fahr – farm machinery
Inspection where your vehicle is
Depot, service area, towing yard or workshop – even if the truck can no longer be driven.
Your right
Your own expert instead of the insurer's assessor.
The other party's insurer wants to pay as little as possible. An independent expert makes sure that every item of damage is documented – not just the visible bodywork.
Workshop cost estimatepartial picture
Other party's insurance assessoras little as possible
Your own independent expertevery item
What the insurer must pay
Repair costs or replacement value
Diminished market value
Loss of use or standby vehicle costs
Loss of earnings for commercial vehicles
Towing, recovery and storage costs
Damage to body, trailer and load
Costs for the expert report and lawyer
It's that simple
4 steps to your payout
We do the work – you keep your business running.
Contact
A call or WhatsApp with a few photos is enough. We tell you immediately what matters for the evidence.
Inspection
We come to your vehicle – depot, service area or workshop. Not drivable? No problem.
Report
Complete and court-proof, with photos and cost calculation – sent digitally to you and the insurer.
Settlement
We support you until payment. If needed, we recommend a lawyer specialised in traffic law.
Report content
What a truck damage report contains
Scope and focus depend on the damage and vehicle type. On a 16-metre articulated lorry often only one part is affected – and we check exactly that part very thoroughly.
Vehicle data, equipment, body and previous damage
Repair cost calculation according to manufacturer standards
Repair method and expected repair time
Replacement and residual value – repair or total loss?
Diminished market value after repair
Downtime as the basis for loss of use and earnings
Road and operational safety: chassis, load capacity, coupling
Separate assessment of tractor unit, trailer, reefer unit or body
Photo documentation as evidence for insurer and court
Forecast risk – if costs rise, the injured party does not pay
Expertise
A truck is not just a big car.
Chassis & load capacity
Ladder frame, axles and body mounts carry tonnes of load. Small deformations affect load capacity and braking.
Bodies & couplings
Fifth wheel, kingpin, reefer unit, tail lift or crane – every type has its own damage patterns and costs.
Downtime costs every day
A truck standing still, a missing bus or a tractor during harvest – downtime must be determined precisely.
You decide: repair at the workshop of your choice or payout based on the report. We advise what makes technical and economic sense. With leasing or financing, the contract usually requires a repair.
Service area
Truck damage expert for all of Germany
Our office is in Cologne – we work all over Germany: on motorways, at service areas, depots and workshops. We come to wherever your vehicle is.
Cities & regions
KölnDüsseldorfDortmundEssenDuisburgBonnAachenHamburgBremenHannoverBerlinLeipzigDresdenMagdeburgErfurtKasselFrankfurt am MainMannheimKoblenzSaarbrückenStuttgartNürnbergMünchenRegensburgRuhrgebietRhein-Main
If you were not at fault, the liability insurer of the party who caused the accident pays in full. It is free for you. With shared fault, costs are reimbursed according to the liability share.
May I choose the expert myself?
Yes. As the injured party you may appoint an independent expert of your choice. You do not have to accept the insurer's assessor.
I am from abroad – do I still get a free report?
Yes. Anyone who has an accident in Germany that was not their fault can claim directly against the German liability insurer of the other party – regardless of nationality, including the expert's costs.
What if the party at fault drives a foreign vehicle?
You still settle the claim in Germany. The German Green Card Bureau or the German claims representative of the foreign insurer is responsible. Note the licence plate, insurer and – if available – the Green Card number.
Is there compensation for downtime of a truck?
For commercial vehicles, standby vehicle costs, rental of a replacement truck or the actual loss of profit are usually reimbursed. The report determines the downtime; a traffic lawyer calculates the claim – their fees are also paid by the other party.
My truck can no longer be driven. What now?
We come to the vehicle – towing yard, depot, service area or workshop. It is important that the damage is documented before repairs start.
Free of charge
Truck accident? We are your expert – anywhere in Germany.
Call us or send photos via WhatsApp – we reply quickly and take care of the rest.
Kfz-Sachverständigenbüro Thewalt, Köln
