Accident with bicycle – damage assessment
Accident with bicycle – damage assessment
- More cycling and e-bikes lead to expensive damage claims
- In many cases, accidents lead to total losses
- Systematic approach to valuation
Accident-damaged bicycle?
GTÜ is the best place for a damage assessment.
The e-bike boom means that more and more accident damage to bicycles has to be assessed by experts.
The experts at GTÜ Gesellschaft für Technische Überwachung mbH are ready to help.
“We have been providing expert opinions for bicycles that have been damaged in an accident since 2016,” explains GTÜ contract partner Richard Stoll in Sindelfingen, south of Stuttgart.
Two of his eleven expert colleagues specialize in such damage and record it on all types of bicycles.
They deal with e-bikes and pedelecs particularly frequently.
The question is often whether a repair is worthwhile.
“This is often not the case,” Richard Stoll knows from experience.
The experts take a systematic approach to the assessment.
They use a database with average values for repair work.
This shows how much time mechanics usually need to replace a front fork, a frame or a gearshift, for example.
This data is incorporated into the final damage assessment.
The experts also research the replacement part prices for the damaged components.
The easiest way to do this is via the manufacturer’s online catalogs.
Sometimes a direct inquiry to the manufacturer also leads to the desired result.
And often also to find out whether a part is still available at all.
It becomes more difficult if the bike no longer corresponds to the condition in which it was delivered.
Many bikers optimize their bikes with parts from the accessories trade, be it with a higher-quality gearshift or brake system or by replacing the saddle or handlebars.
The experts use all the information to create a calculation that compares the value of the damaged bike with the replacement value.
“With e-bikes, the repair costs often exceed the replacement value,” says Richard Stoll, head of the GTÜ test center in Sindelfingen since 2014.
The reason is usually the expensive replacement of damaged batteries or electric motors.
If the bike is still fairly new, the insurance company of the person responsible for the accident will often pay for a completely new one.
Whether there is an increase in value depends on many factors.
It is possible that the current model generation has more power or a higher battery capacity, resulting in an increase in value.
Incidentally, the manufacturer’s warranty expires after an accident.
What’s more, with most bicycle brands – unlike cars – it only applies to the first owner.
So be careful: Some insurance companies insist that you buy a used bike in the event of a total loss, which then no longer has a manufacturer’s warranty.
This can lead to a dispute with the insurance company.
As with a defective car, the injured party can have the amount determined for the repair or replacement paid out by the insurance company.
In this case, the damage is reimbursed “net” less VAT.
After an accident, many bicycles continue to be ridden with optical or only poorly repaired damage.
There are many causes of bicycle accidents.
Richard Stoll knows from experience that cars often collide with bicycles because drivers underestimate the speed and acceleration capacity of an e-bike or pedelec.
In most cases, lawyers then represent the accident victims.
This involves injuries and compensation for pain and suffering as well as damage to accessories such as clothing, helmets, saddlebags and ultimately the bike itself.
The costs are borne by the compulsory car insurance of the person responsible for the accident.
As more and more bicycles are being transported on bike racks attached to the rear of the car or on the trailer coupling, it is more common than in the past for two-wheelers to inadvertently become a buffer between the vehicles in the event of a car collision.
This not only damages them, but also the car.
Deformed body parts at the rear or a displaced trailer coupling can cause considerable damage to the underside of the vehicle.
With expensive consequences for the repair – plus bike replacement.
If, for example, two e-bikes are attached to the luggage rack, this can quickly add up to EUR 5,000 or more.
Here too, the insurance company of the person responsible for the accident will cover the costs.
There are also other cases: Cyclists collide with each other, especially on mountain bike trails, and the bikes are damaged.
If the question of fault can be clarified, the personal liability insurance of the person responsible for the accident usually settles the claim.
The same applies to animal liability if, for example, a large dog causes a cyclist to fall.
There is one major difference to motor vehicle liability insurance: these insurances are not compulsory.
There are therefore one or two cases in which it is completely clear who caused the damage.
Nevertheless, the injured party is left with the costs and is not even reimbursed for an expert opinion because the guilty party is unable to pay the bills relating to the collision.
A quick look back: bicycles used to be worth significantly less than they are today.
For this reason, those involved in accidents liked to settle property damage claims directly between themselves, also so as not to jeopardize discounts on insurance premiums.
As a rule, the insurance company was not informed and accordingly no expert reports were drawn up.
This has now changed fundamentally.
Note: The situation described in this article and the laws, regulations and ordinances mentioned relate to the Federal Republic of Germany.
Different conditions and other legal requirements may apply in other countries.
Source: GTÜ, 15.08.2023
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