Who pays if the workshop charges more than the report states? Financial experts clarify

Who pays if the workshop charges more than the report states? Financial experts clarify

According to a report by www.mt.de,

If the workshop charges impermissible or excessive amounts when repairing the car of the person who was injured through no fault of their own, the insurance company of the person responsible must pay for it. This decision by the Bruchsal District Court, Ref: 4 C 163/22, makes it clear that the workshop risk lies with the person responsible or their insurance company.

The specific case involved a car traffic accident in which the question of guilt was clearly clarified. A report determined repair costs of a maximum of 5,375.15 euros, while the workshop carrying out the work billed exactly 5,688.57 euros. The other party's insurance company refused to pay the higher amount, which led to legal clarification.

The district court decided that in the event of a possible incorrect billing, which the injured party cannot notice, all work must be paid for. It was also determined that the repair was so complex that with a cost increase of only around five percent, nothing should have been noticed.

This decision has far-reaching implications for the collision repair market and the insurance industry. Workshops could take advantage of this ruling to bill excessive costs, since the risk now lies with the person responsible or their insurance company. Insurance companies may need to adjust their assessment procedures and contracts to account for and avoid the costs of such events.

This ruling could also impact other industries where services or repairs are provided to third parties. It emphasizes the importance of transparency and appropriate auditing when issuing invoices to avoid possible incorrect billing.