Vehicle depreciation (diminished value) calculator
Even after repair, a vehicle damaged in an accident sells for less on the used-car market than it would undamaged; this difference is the depreciation. The Court of Cassation and the Insurance Arbitration Commission calculate depreciation as the difference between the vehicle's undamaged used-market value before the accident and its used-market value after repair. The other party's insurer pays in proportion to its insured's fault.
To compare the insurer's offer: the repealed 2021 formula (passenger car)
This formula was in Annex 1 of the General Conditions of Compulsory Traffic Insurance and was repealed as of July 1, 2026. Its statutory basis had previously been annulled by the Constitutional Court; the Court of Cassation reverses decisions based on the formula, even when the result is higher. Use it only to understand the insurer's offer.
Damaged parts
| Part | Work | Paint |
|---|---|---|
| Roof panel | ||
| Front panel (sheet metal) | ||
| Right front fender (sheet metal) | ||
| Left front fender (sheet metal) | ||
| Right front strut tower panel | ||
| Left front strut tower panel | ||
| Right front chassis rail | ||
| Left front chassis rail | ||
| Firewall panel | ||
| Hood | ||
| Right front door (door skin) | ||
| Left front door (door skin) | ||
| Right rear door (door skin) | ||
| Left rear door (door skin) | ||
| Right rocker panel (sheet metal) | ||
| Left rocker panel (sheet metal) | ||
| A-pillar, right | ||
| B-pillar, right | ||
| A-pillar, left | ||
| B-pillar, left | ||
| Trunk lid | ||
| Rear panel | ||
| Right rear quarter panel | ||
| Left rear quarter panel | ||
| Trunk floor panel | ||
| Right rear chassis rail | ||
| Left rear chassis rail | ||
| Engine crossmember / axle | ||
| Passenger airbag | ||
| Driver airbag | ||
| Right side airbag | ||
| Left side airbag |
What you should know
- You must first apply in writing to the other party's traffic insurer (KTK m.97). If the insurer does not respond within 15 days or pays only in part, you can file a lawsuit or apply to the Insurance Arbitration Commission.
- For policies issued after July 1, 2026, the insurance adjuster appointed for the damage determines the depreciation in the same report; a claim for vehicle damage also counts as a depreciation claim.
- Depreciation cannot be claimed for vehicles that have been deregistered or issued a scrap certificate (total loss, pert); instead, the vehicle's value is compensated (KTK m.92/l).
- Limitation period: 2 years from learning of the damage and the liable party, and in any case 10 years from the accident; if the act constitutes a crime, the longer criminal limitation period applies.
- In court, depreciation is calculated by a panel of experts made up of a mechanical engineer and an insurance adjuster, based on photos, the appraisal report and TRAMER records.
Frequently asked questions
- How is vehicle depreciation calculated?
- According to the Court of Cassation, depreciation is the difference between the vehicle's undamaged used-market value before the accident and its used-market value after repair. You can claim from the other party's insurer the share corresponding to its insured's fault ratio.
- Is the insurers' depreciation formula still valid?
- No. The depreciation formula in the general conditions of compulsory traffic insurance was repealed as of July 1, 2026. The Constitutional Court had previously annulled the formula's statutory basis, and the Court of Cassation reverses decisions based on the formula.
- Where and by when should a depreciation claim be filed?
- You must first apply in writing to the other party's traffic insurer; if the insurer does not respond within 15 days or underpays, you can file a lawsuit or go to the Insurance Arbitration Commission. The limitation period is 2 years from learning of the damage and the liable party, and in any case 10 years from the accident.
- Can depreciation be claimed for a total-loss vehicle?
- No. For a vehicle that has been deregistered or issued a scrap certificate, the vehicle's value is compensated, not depreciation (Highway Traffic Law m.92/l).