{"id":2640,"date":"2026-05-27T06:40:04","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T03:40:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/svaroglaw.com\/advokat-po-dtp\/oczinka-zbytku-dtp\/"},"modified":"2026-09-14T20:00:03","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T17:00:03","slug":"oczinka-zbytku-dtp","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/svaroglaw.com\/en\/advokat-po-dtp\/oczinka-zbytku-dtp\/","title":{"rendered":"Assessment of damage caused by a road traffic accident"},"content":{"rendered":"

The insurer assessed 42,000 UAH. An independent valuer, after inspecting the car with parts removed, put it at 97,000 UAH. That gap is where our work begins, because the damage assessment determines everything that follows: what the insurer pays, how much more to claim from the driver at fault, what court fee you pay, and what you end up with.<\/p>\n

An assessment made by the insurance company is an interested party\u2019s assessment. It is calculated by the insurer\u2019s method, by the insurer\u2019s appraiser and in the insurer\u2019s interest, so it is almost always lower than what the repair actually costs at a garage.<\/p>\n

We do not carry out the valuation ourselves \u2014 that is a certified valuer\u2019s job. Our part is to review the report, find its weaknesses, and bring an understated figure up to the real one by demand or through the courts.<\/p>\n

<\/svg>+38 095 554-54-24<\/span><\/a>legal consultation<\/span><\/div>\n

Why the insurer\u2019s assessment is low<\/h2>\n
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Depreciation<\/h3>

Under the current motor insurance<\/a> rules (Law No. 3720-IX, from 1 January 2025) depreciation may not be deducted<\/strong>. The old law allowed it, and on older cars it swallowed up to half the payout. If the insurer is still calculating \u201callowing for wear\u201d, that is a direct ground to challenge.<\/p><\/div><\/article>

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Diminished value ignored<\/h3>

After a repair a car is worth less than before the accident, however well the work was done. That difference is a real loss and is recoverable, but the insurer\u2019s report usually leaves it out.<\/p><\/div><\/article>

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Hidden damage<\/h3>

An inspection without dismantling does not reveal deformed chassis rails or damage to the suspension, electronics or running gear. A typical example: a Skoda Octavia struck in the rear bumper, assessed by the insurer at 12,400 UAH for the bumper and paint. At the garage they found a crushed reinforcement bar, broken mountings and two shattered parking sensors behind it, and the bill came to 31,000 UAH. By then the report had been signed, so the extra had to be claimed separately.<\/p><\/div><\/article>

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Understated labour times and rates<\/h3>

Calculating at \u201caverage\u201d regional prices instead of the actual rates of authorised garages.<\/p><\/div><\/article>

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Non-original parts<\/h3>

Aftermarket parts are built into the calculation instead of originals, although on a car under five years old that is directly contrary to the methodology.<\/p><\/div><\/article><\/div>\n

\"Assessing<\/a><\/p>\n

What a full assessment covers<\/h2>\n
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The elements of the loss<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t