Desktop Assessment

A desktop assessment starts with the evidence. We take the photographs of the damage, the repairer's estimate and the vehicle details, and rebuild the job from the ground up rather than simply reading down the estimate and agreeing with it. The vehicle is identified precisely, because parts prices and labour times differ between trim levels and build dates on what looks like the same model.

Every line is then validated against Audatex data for that specific vehicle. Part prices are checked against current supply, labour times are checked against the published times for the operation, and the repair method is checked against what the damage actually supports. This is where most of the value sits: an estimate can total a plausible figure while containing a panel replacement where a repair would do, a blend that is not warranted, or paint times that do not match the panels affected. Anything that does not stand up is queried or adjusted, and the reason is recorded so the decision can be defended later.

Once the repair cost is settled, the economic decision follows. We establish the pre-accident value of the vehicle, compare it against the validated repair cost, and reach a repair or total-loss position. Where the vehicle is a total loss, we categorise the salvage and set out the basis for it. The report sets out the figures, the reasoning and the evidence relied on, structured so it can go straight onto a claims file.