What SZU Group does

SZU Group (legal name: Sachverständigen Zentrale für Unfallschaden Ermittlung GmbH, trading as SZU GmbH) is a German-headquartered appraisal and loss-assessment firm founded in 2000 and based in Waldkraiburg, Germany. The company specialises in third-party accident damage assessment and valuation services for vehicles, commercial vehicles, machinery, transport cargo, and agricultural and forestry equipment, serving both private individuals (Privatkunden) and corporate clients (Firmenkunden) such as fleet operators and transport companies. Through a network of more than 160 certified expert appraisers (Sachverständige), SZU provides on-site damage assessment within 48 hours anywhere in Germany, and has extended its field operations to Austria, Poland, Italy, Turkey, Ukraine, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia. Johann Köck serves as the Managing Director (Geschäftsführer); no other management, ownership or external investor information is disclosed.

The company's service portfolio spans core assessment categories including KFZ/NFZ (vehicle and commercial vehicle) appraisals, Maschinengutachten (machinery evaluations for fixed installations such as biogas plants and movable equipment such as construction and agricultural machinery), Transportschäden (international transport damage assessments), Land- und Forstmaschinen (agricultural and forestry machinery assessments with 48-hour on-site availability), Kaskoschäden (comprehensive insurance damage handling), and condition reports / classic car / speed-camera assessments for private customers. Its 2024-launched flagship technology product, SZU Video-Gutachten, enables remote damage assessment via smartphone video link delivered by SMS or email, allowing an expert to guide the customer through camera positioning and capture standard images — no app download is required. The firm also operates a dedicated Schadenmanagement (claims management) practice providing Sammelbesichtigung (collective fleet inspections for events such as hail damage) and Großschadenereignis (major-loss event coordination for production-line damage, machinery failures, and inventory losses), and works with multiple partner law firms to deliver end-to-end A-Z claims processing.

SZU's revenue model is primarily insurance-funded: services are delivered free of charge to the customer when the damage is not self-caused, with costs borne by the at-fault party's insurer (or by the customer's own comprehensive/Kasko insurer for self-caused damage); other commercial engagements are quote-based with publicly undisclosed pricing. The go-to-market is sales-led via a phone hotline and online intake form, supported by content marketing (corporate blog on vehicle maintenance, accident procedures and seasonal guidance), a multilingual web presence across six languages (German, English, Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, Macedonian), social-media activity on Facebook, X and LinkedIn, and a referral channel through collaborating law firms. The company is classified as private with no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, M&A activity, regulatory actions, patents or trademarks on record; no revenue, ARR or GMV figure is disclosed in any source.

Name

SZU Group

Legal name

Sachverständigen Zentrale für Unfallschaden Ermittlung GmbH

Website

https://szu-gmbh.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SZU Group is a German loss-assessment and appraisal firm that sends certified expert appraisers to document and value accident, machinery, transport and fleet damage, primarily funded through insurance carriers across Germany and continental Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insurance Loss Adjustment & Damage Assessment Services

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Vehicle Inspection, Damage Survey & Claims Handling (Condition Reports) (TLAHACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Post-Incident Recovery, Damage Assessment & Restoration Coordination (BPABANAL), Accident/Incident Management & Claims Administration (FNOL, Subrogation) (TLABAIAF), Claims Administration & TPA Services (FNOL, Subrogation, Litigation Mgmt) (TLABANAH)

Keywords

• Vehicle damage assessment
• Expert appraisal services
• Transport damage evaluation
• Machinery valuation
• Insurance claims assessment

Headquarters

HQ city

Waldkraiburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Insurance-Funded Assessment Services: Services are provided at no cost to customers when damage was not self-caused, as costs are covered by the responsible party's insurance. For self-caused damages (kasko), costs are covered by customer's own insurance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SZU Group operates as a Sachverständigen Zentrale (Expert Appraisal Center) that determines the degree of accidental damages to enable quick claim settlement. The company provides expert damage assessments, valuations, and claims management for vehicles, machinery, and transport goods through a network of 160+ certified appraisers. Services are delivered on-site within 48 hours across Germany and Europe, with a video-based remote assessment option, and are provided at no cost to customers when the damage was not self-caused.

Product overview

SZU Group operates as a Sachverständigen-Zentrale (Expert Appraisal Center) providing accident damage assessment and valuation services. The company offers a unified service platform for expert appraisals across multiple domains including vehicle damage (KFZ/NFZ), machinery, transport goods, and property. The core offering consists of damage assessments and valuations for both private and corporate customers, supported by specialized damage management services for large-scale events. The SZU Video-Gutachten feature represents a technology-enabled service variant allowing remote damage documentation via video. Services are delivered through a network of over 160 appraisers available within 48 hours across Germany and Europe, with no cost to customers when damage is not self-caused.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Haftpflichtschäden (Liability Damage Assessment)
• Zustandsberichte (Condition Reports) Condition assessment reports for private vehicle owners that document visible damage and list necessary repairs.
• Oldtimergutachten (Classic Car Appraisals) Expert appraisal services for vintage and collector automobiles for private owners requiring valuation or damage assessment.
• Blitzergutachten (Speed Camera Assessments) Assessment services for private individuals relating to speed camera traffic violations.
• KFZ/NFZ Gutachten (Vehicle and Commercial Vehicle Appraisals) Damage and value assessments for cars, trucks, buses, motorhomes, and camping vehicles for business customers, including leasing return evaluations.
• Maschinengutachten (Machinery Appraisals) Expert assessments of machinery and equipment for insurance claims, damage evaluations, or purchase/sale transactions, covering both fixed installations (e.g., biogas plants) and movable equipment (e.g., construction and agricultural machinery).
• Transportschäden (Transport Damage Assessment) International transport damage assessment with rapid response across Europe, including cargo inspection, short reports for further processing, and salvage coordination.
• Kaskoschäden (Comprehensive Insurance Damage Handling) End-to-end comprehensive insurance damage handling for business customers, including independent damage assessment where free choice of appraiser is granted.
• Land- & Forstmaschinen Gutachten (Agricultural & Forestry Machinery Appraisals) Expert assessments for agricultural and forestry machinery including tractors, harvesters, combines, and other essential equipment, with 48-hour on-site availability.
• SZU Video-Gutachten (Video Assessment) Proprietary video-based damage assessment service allowing rapid damage capture and documentation via smartphone, with expert guidance through a live video connection triggered by an SMS link, no app download required.
• Sammelbesichtigung (Collective Inspections) Coordination and execution of collective vehicle inspections for fleet-wide events such as hail damage or large-scale transport incidents in high volumes across Germany.
• Großschadenereignis (Major Loss Event Management) Comprehensive damage management and coordination for major loss events, including production line damage, machinery failures, and inventory losses.

Quantifiable outcome

• 48-hour response time for on-site assessment anywhere in Germany
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Multiple Law Firms (Anwälte)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSZU works with several law firms to ensure smooth claims processing for customers. This partnership enables comprehensive damage management from assessment through legal proceedings.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• KÜS: German vehicle inspection association providing main inspections, damage assessments and expert reports. Comparable to SZU in field-expert-driven damage appraisal and condition reports across Germany.
• GTÜ (Gesellschaft für Technische Überwachung): German vehicle inspection and expert organization providing accident appraisals and condition reports through a network of engineer partners. Closely comparable to SZU's Sachverständigen-led model for private and commercial vehicle damage assessment.
• Schwacke (part of Autovista Group): German vehicle valuation and residual-value data provider serving insurers, leasing companies and fleets. Comparable to SZU's vehicle valuation and leasing return assessment offerings from a data-and-software angle.
• ControlExpert: Digital claims management platform headquartered in Langenfeld, Germany, automating auto and property damage claims for European insurers. Overlaps with SZU on accident/incident damage handling but delivers it via software-led workflows rather than field experts.
• DAT (Deutsche Automobil Treuhand): German automotive data and valuation specialist providing vehicle value reports and condition assessments used by insurers, fleets and private customers. Directly comparable to SZU's vehicle valuation and condition-report service lines.

Emerging players

• Tractable: AI-driven visual damage assessment platform used by major European insurers for auto claims triage. Competes with SZU's core human appraisal step via automated photo-based estimation, representing a structural alternative rather than a like-for-like peer.

Broad incumbents

• Audatex (Solera): Provider of automotive claims estimation software and services used by insurers and repair shops across Europe. Adjacent to SZU's claims assessment workflow via repair-cost calculation platforms rather than field-expert services.
• DEKRA: Global testing, inspection and certification giant headquartered in Stuttgart; operates vehicle inspection, damage assessment and expert services across Germany and Europe. Overlaps with SZU on vehicle appraisal and accident damage evaluation but at vastly larger scale and broader portfolio.
• TÜV Rheinland: Global testing and inspection group providing vehicle and machinery assessments including damage reports. Competes with SZU in expert appraisal services for insurance and corporate clients but with a much wider industrial-services portfolio.
• TÜV SÜD: Major German testing, certification and inspection body offering vehicle damage assessment and expert reports. Comparable to SZU on accident appraisal and condition reports but operates as a broad industrial-services incumbent rather than a specialist claims panel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SZU Group