Werkstattrisiko umgehen: Bei Kaskoschaden vorher Kostenvoranschlag einreichen

When a car workshop charges unnecessary or overpriced repair costs, it is referred to as the "workshop risk" in insurance cases. The regulation deals with who should bear this risk. Recently, the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) confirmed that generally, the workshop risk lies with the insurance policyholder (IV ZR 235/25). Therefore, the German Automobile Club (AvD) advises obtaining a cost estimate before undertaking any repair work on a collision damage.

This estimate should be presented to the insurer. Only if the insurance grants approval should the repair be commissioned. Any modifications or additional work should also be discussed and documented with the insurer to reduce the risk that the insured will have to bear these costs later. The insurance should not have to cover objectively unnecessary, unexecuted, or overpriced invoice items.

However, the conditions of the respective contract always apply. In the case of third-party liability, the workshop risk lies elsewhere. The BGH ruling addressed a self-inflicted accident under full collision insurance coverage but also clarified the issue of who bears the workshop risk in comprehensive car insurance. The court decided that generally, the insurer remains responsible for this.

Minor collision damages, such as storm damage, wild animal accidents, or glass damage caused by falling debris, are usually not self-inflicted. Nevertheless, the workshop risk should also lie with the insurer in these cases.