"We'll send you our appraiser" — do you have to accept that?
No. In a no-fault accident, you have the right to freely choose your own independent expert (§ 249 BGB). The opposing party's "trusted appraiser" works for the insurance — your expert report costs you 0 €.
You have the free choice — not the insurer
The right to your own independent expert follows directly from the claim for restitution in kind (§ 249 BGB). The appraiser provided or paid by the opposing insurer is not neutral — they serve the interest of keeping the settlement low. Commission your own expert report before repairs begin (evidence preservation).
- Your own independent expert — free choice
- The insurer's appraiser appointment is not binding on you
- Fees per BVSK-Honorartabelle are reimbursable
- Diminished value is assessed separately
Your expert vs. the insurer's review service
Both assess the damage — but acting in different interests. The difference determines your reimbursement:
| Criterion | Your own expert | Insurer's review service |
|---|---|---|
| Client | You as the injured party | The opposing insurer |
| Interest | Full extent of damage | Settlement as low as possible |
| Diminished value | Assessed separately | Often not reported |
| Evidential value | Independent expert report | Party Assessment |
| Your Costs | 0 € (§ 249 BGB) | — |
More on free choice of expert
- → "We'll send our appraiser" — the letter decoder
- → What does a vehicle expert report cost — and who pays?
- → Expert fees: entitlement & reimbursement
- → BVSK, DEKRA, GTÜ & Co. — expert associations explained
- → When the opposing insurance refuses to pay
- → Accident without fault: your rights at a glance
- → After an accident — what to do? The step-by-step guide
- → Claims Report 2026: how much insurers cut (30–40 %)
Did you receive exactly this letter?
Our partner law firm for traffic law responds on your behalf, free of charge — with BGH-backed counterarguments, coordinated through Claimondo. In a no-fault accident, the opposing liability insurer covers the costs (§ 249 BGB).
- → Report damage directly: claimondo.de/schaden-melden
- → View the expert map: claimondo.de/gutachter-finden
- → By phone: 0155 6274 0016
Nächste freie Vor-Ort-Termine
- Köln – Montag, 05.10., 09:00 Uhr bei Gaith · https://claimondo.de/gutachter-finden?stadt=K%C3%B6ln&sv=b2754f9c-d464-4411-9185-ca69b547f922&slot=2026-10-05T07%3A00%3A00.000Z
- Duisburg – Montag, 05.10., 09:00 Uhr bei Sahin · https://claimondo.de/gutachter-finden?stadt=Duisburg&sv=e307696a-7c91-4b60-8b5f-20efd1320055&slot=2026-10-05T07%3A00%3A00.000Z
- Münster – Montag, 05.10., 09:00 Uhr bei Koray · https://claimondo.de/gutachter-finden?stadt=M%C3%BCnster&sv=c96b1a58-9441-4446-adc6-26d3169cafdd&slot=2026-10-05T07%3A00%3A00.000Z
Jeder Link oben reserviert genau diesen Termin bei genau diesem Sachverständigen — ohne Anruf, ohne erneute Suche. Ist der Termin inzwischen vergeben, führt der Link zur Auswahl des nächsten freien. Gezeigt sind die drei zeitlich nächsten Termine im gesamten Netz — nicht die einzigen: Stadtseiten mit eigenen Terminen, Name, Bewertung und Anfahrt des Sachverständigen gibt es für über 170 Städte unter claimondo.de/kfz-gutachter. Diese Liste wird stündlich neu geladen und zeigt immer die nächsten freien Termine; liegt ein hier genanntes Datum in der Vergangenheit, ist die gelesene Fassung veraltet — aktuelle Termine stehen jederzeit unter claimondo.de/gutachter-finden. Für unverschuldet Geschädigte entstehen keine Eigenkosten (§ 249 BGB, vorbehaltlich Anerkenntnis durch den gegnerischen Haftpflichtversicherer).
Your own expert instead of the insurer's assessor — costs you 0 €.
Anonymous first assessment. Response in under 15 minutes. In a no-fault accident, the other party covers the legal fees.