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This page is a translation for orientation only. The German version is legally authoritative. All decisions and provisions named on this page refer to German law. This translation was produced automatically/editorially and has not yet been reviewed by a native speaker for accuracy.

UPE-Aufschläge are surcharges added to the manufacturer's non-binding price recommendation (UPE) for spare parts, which repair shops charge for stocking, ordering, and default risk. Insurers often strike them from a fiktive Abrechnung (notional settlement without repair), arguing they weren't incurred. That fails: if the repair shop that applies to you actually charges UPE-Aufschläge, they must be reimbursed notionally too. For newer vehicles, referral to a non-brand shop is usually not permitted anyway. There is no nationwide percentage — regional custom, established by your expert report, controls.

UPE-Aufschläge: When the Insurer May Deduct It — and When It May Not

UPE-Aufschläge (the surcharge on the manufacturer's non-binding price recommendation for spare parts) must be reimbursed if your applicable reference repair shop actually charges it and your report confirms that for your region.

Does This Apply to You? The Decisive Fork

Before you read on: for your situation, it comes down to whether you had the repair done.

You Had the Repair Done and Have an Invoice

In this case, the UPE-Aufschlag (the surcharge on the manufacturer's non-binding price recommendation for spare parts) actually was incurred and billed by your repair shop. The Werkstattrisiko (repair-shop risk) lies with the party liable for the damage, not with you — you don't have to justify whether your shop's surcharge is calculated at market rates. This applies even if you haven't yet paid the invoice; payment is then made concurrently against assignment of your claims against the repair shop (BGH VI ZR 38/22 of 16.01.2024).

In this case, use the wording aid for konkrete Abrechnung (itemized settlement based on an actual invoice) further below.

You Are Settling Based on the Expert Report, Without Repairing

Then it depends on whether your applicable reference repair shop actually charges UPE-Aufschläge and whether that is customary in your region. Your expert report must establish this.

Also note: under fiktive Abrechnung (notional settlement, i.e. settling on the report without repairing), sales tax (Umsatzsteuer) is not reimbursed unless it has actually been incurred (§ 249 Abs. 2 Satz 2 BGB, the German Civil Code). This also applies to the sales-tax share of the UPE-Aufschlag. The line item itself is unaffected by this.

Kaskoversicherung (comprehensive/collision coverage): Under a Kasko settlement, reimbursement of UPE-Aufschläge follows the terms agreed in your policy conditions (AKB) — these can treat the item differently or cap it at a lower amount than the third-party-liability principles described here.

Repair shops that don't buy spare parts directly at manufacturer terms add a surcharge to the parts price to cover procurement, storage, and the risk of unsold stock. Disputes arise almost always with fiktive Abrechnung (notional settlement, where you take the payout instead of repairing). UPE-Aufschläge follow the same referral doctrine (Verweisungsdogmatik) as Verbringungskosten and Stundenverrechnungssätze (BGH VI ZR 65/18).

Am I Entitled to UPE-Aufschläge Even Under a Notional Settlement?

Insurers often strike this line item under a notional settlement, arguing it was never incurred. That doesn't hold up: if the reference repair shop that applies to you actually charges UPE-Aufschläge and that is customary in your region, they must be reimbursed notionally too.

How Do I Check a Repair Shop Named by the Insurer?

Before accepting a named repair shop, check the distance and accessibility, whether it's bound to quality standards, whether your manufacturer warranty and Gewährleistung (statutory warranty) are preserved, whether there's a pickup-and-return service, and your vehicle's age and full main-dealer service history (Scheckheftpflege). For vehicles under three years old, referral to a non-brand repair shop is usually excluded anyway.

To be candid: case law is not uniform. The OLG Hamm upheld a deduction of 172.12 euros in UPE-Aufschlag as lawful because the reasonable referral shop doesn't charge that item. Whether your deduction is challengeable depends on your expert report and your region.

Also known as

  • UPE-Aufschläge
  • insurer refused parts surcharge Germany
  • German insurance cut UPE surcharge
  • manufacturer recommended price surcharge deduction car repair
  • UPE Aufschlag insurance claim
  • spare parts markup insurance Germany accident

The numbers

ValueMeaningSourceAs of
10 percentRegional surcharge determined by an expert, which a Higher Regional Court (Oberlandesgericht, OLG) recognized in an individual case — not a nationwide benchmarkOLG Schleswig 7 U 40/2329.08.2023
172,12 eurosUPE-Aufschlag that a Higher Regional Court deducted in one case because the reasonable referral repair shop doesn't charge it (opposing position)OLG Hamm I-26 U 72/1628.03.2017
three yearsVehicle-age threshold above which referral to a non-brand repair shop is regularly excluded and the brand-dealer rates, including the UPE-Aufschlag, remain controllingAG München 332 C 26626/12, AG Mönchengladbach 36 C 35/1406.12.2012 / 29.04.2014
no nationwide percentageA commonly repeated claim of „typically 10 percent“ cannot be substantiated as a nationwide benchmarkown analysis of case law28.08.2026

Worked example

Notional Settlement (fiktive Abrechnung) After Front-End Damage, Vehicle Two Years Old
ItemAmount
Repair costs per expert report, net3,850.00 €
of which UPE-Aufschlag on spare parts210.00 €
Insurer's payment3,640.00 €

Result: 210.00 € difference. The insurer struck the UPE-Aufschlag entirely because the vehicle wasn't repaired. If the expert report states that the applicable brand dealer charges UPE-Aufschläge, the deduction is challengeable — especially for a two-year-old vehicle, for which referral to a non-brand repair shop is barely an option anyway.

What the insurer typically writes

These are paraphrased summaries of typical settlement-letter reasoning, not verbatim quotes from one specific letter.

The bracketed English text is a translation aid only.

„UPE-Aufschläge sind bei fiktiver Abrechnung nicht erstattungsfähig, da sie tatsächlich nicht angefallen sind.“ (English: "UPE-Aufschläge are not reimbursable under a notional settlement, as they were not actually incurred.")
„Die von uns benannte Referenzwerkstatt berechnet keine UPE-Aufschläge. Wir kürzen die Position vollständig.“ (English: "The reference repair shop we named does not charge UPE-Aufschläge. We are deducting the item in full.")
„Der von Ihrem Sachverständigen angesetzte Aufschlag liegt über dem regional üblichen Niveau. Wir kürzen auf 5 Prozent.“ (English: "The surcharge applied by your expert exceeds the regionally customary level. We are reducing it to 5 percent.")
„Ihr Fahrzeug ist älter als drei Jahre. Ein Verweis auf eine markenfremde Werkstatt ist daher zulässig, dort fällt kein UPE-Aufschlag an.“ (English: "Your vehicle is more than three years old. A referral to a non-brand repair shop is therefore permissible; no UPE-Aufschlag applies there.")

How you can respond

If You Had the Repair Done and Have an Invoice

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

Sie haben den UPE-Aufschlag in Höhe von … Euro gekürzt. Die Reparatur ist durchgeführt, der Aufschlag ist tatsächlich angefallen und mit Rechnung vom … belegt. Ob einzelne Positionen der Werkstattrechnung im Nachhinein als überhöht bewertet werden, geht nicht zu meinen Lasten. Ich bitte um Ausgleich des offenen Betrages bis zum …

English translation (for your understanding only — send the German text above, not this one):

Dear Sir or Madam,

You deducted the UPE-Aufschlag in the amount of … euros. The repair has been carried out, the surcharge was actually incurred, and it is documented by an invoice dated … Whether individual items on the repair-shop invoice are later judged to be excessive is not something I bear the burden of. I ask that you settle the outstanding amount by …

If You Are Settling Based on the Expert Report

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

zu Ihrer Kürzung des UPE-Aufschlags in Höhe von … Euro weise ich auf Folgendes hin: Maßgeblich ist, ob der Aufschlag bei einer Reparatur in der für mich maßgeblichen Referenzwerkstatt angefallen wäre. Das Gutachten vom … stellt unter Ziffer … fest, dass diese Werkstatt UPE-Aufschläge berechnet. Ich halte die Position daher aufrecht und bitte um Ausgleich bis zum …

English translation (for your understanding only — send the German text above, not this one):

Dear Sir or Madam,

Regarding your deduction of the UPE-Aufschlag in the amount of … euros, I would point out the following: what matters is whether the surcharge would have been incurred had the repair been carried out at the reference repair shop applicable to me. The expert report dated … establishes, under item …, that this repair shop charges UPE-Aufschläge. I am therefore maintaining this item and ask that you settle by …

The Insurer Named You a Specific Repair Shop — Here's How to Check It

Before accepting a named repair shop, check:

  • Distance and accessibility from your home
  • Is the shop bound to quality standards, e.g. through certification or membership?
  • Is your manufacturer warranty or Gewährleistung (statutory warranty) preserved?
  • Is there a pickup-and-return service, and who bears the cost?
  • The vehicle's age and unbroken service history (Scheckheftpflege) at a brand dealer
  • Was the repair shop named specifically before the repair, or only afterward in the deduction letter?

If the named repair shop fails to meet one of these points, you can respond:

Die von Ihnen benannte Werkstatt ist für mich nicht ohne Weiteres gleichwertig und zumutbar erreichbar. Ich halte an der Kalkulation meines Gutachtens einschließlich des UPE-Aufschlags fest.

English translation (for your understanding only — send the German text above, not this one):

The repair shop you named is not readily equivalent and reasonably accessible for me. I am maintaining the calculation in my expert report, including the UPE-Aufschlag.

The case law in detail on the reasonableness of such a referral — including Werkstattrisiko (repair-shop risk) where the repair has already been carried out — is covered in depth on our page about Stundenverrechnungssätze (hourly labor rates) and Werkstattverweis (referral to another repair shop).

This reflects German law and German court practice.

Note: this is general guidance on wording, not legal advice for your individual case. Adapt the text to your own situation or seek advice from a lawyer for your specific matter.

What the insurer typically does next

  1. They pay the difference. Common when the expert report explicitly states the regional custom and names the repair shop that charges it.
  2. They name a specific reference repair shop without a UPE-Aufschlag. Then it comes down to that shop's equivalence and reasonableness.
  3. They commission a Prüfbericht (review report). Such a report is produced without inspecting your vehicle and does not replace an expert report.
  4. They stick with the deduction. Then it usually becomes an amount asserted together with other deducted items.

If your expert report doesn't explicitly establish regional custom, that's where a supplementary statement from your expert (Sachverständiger) helps. It records which repair shops in your area charge UPE-Aufschläge and at what level. That is an expert finding, not legal advice.

On the deadline: the liability insurer is usually allowed a review period (Prüffrist) of four to six weeks from submission of the complete documents. Set a concrete payment deadline in your letter. If the insurer doesn't respond, it falls into Verzug (default, § 286 BGB) and owes default interest from that point on. Claims from a traffic accident generally become time-barred (verjähren) after three years, counted to the end of the year (§ 195, § 199 BGB).

Where does this appear in the expert report? The UPE-Aufschlag appears in the cost calculation, usually under the spare-parts list or as its own line item labeled „UPE-Aufschlag“ or „Ersatzteilzuschlag“ (parts surcharge), often as a percentage of the spare-parts prices. If this information is missing, request a supplementary statement from your expert.

The next steps above reflect German law and German claims practice.

Case law

Case law: UPE-Aufschläge: When the Insurer May Deduct It — and When It May Not
CourtCase numberDateKey findingSource
BGHVI ZR 65/1825.09.2018Leading decision. UPE-Aufschläge and Verbringungskosten follow the general principles of damages law under a notional settlement. If reasonable referral to an equivalent, cheaper repair shop that doesn't charge these items is possible, the claim is reduced accordingly.https://dejure.org/dienste/vernetzung/rechtsprechung?Gericht=BGH&Datum=25.09.2018&Aktenzeichen=VI+ZR+65%2F18
BGHVI ZR 300/2428.01.2025Under a notional settlement, the objectively required amount is to be determined without reference to actual expenses. No repair invoice is necessary.https://dejure.org/dienste/vernetzung/rechtsprechung?Gericht=BGH&Datum=28.01.2025&Aktenzeichen=VI+ZR+300%2F24
BGHVI ZR 38/2216.01.2024Werkstattrisiko (repair-shop risk): the injured party can rely on this even where the repair-shop invoice hasn't yet been paid; payment is then made concurrently against assignment of claims against the repair shop.https://dejure.org/dienste/vernetzung/rechtsprechung?Gericht=BGH&Datum=16.01.2024&Aktenzeichen=VI+ZR+38%2F22
OLG Schleswig7 U 40/2329.08.2023A UPE-Aufschlag of 10 percent is reimbursable under a notional settlement because the expert determined it to be regionally customary.https://dejure.org/dienste/vernetzung/rechtsprechung?Gericht=OLG+Schleswig&Datum=29.08.2023&Aktenzeichen=7+U+40%2F23
OLG Frankfurt7 U 34/1521.04.2016UPE-Aufschläge are reimbursable under a notional settlement if an expert establishes that they are typically charged for a repair in the region.https://dejure.org/dienste/vernetzung/rechtsprechung?Gericht=OLG+Frankfurt&Datum=21.04.2016&Aktenzeichen=7+U+34%2F15
OLG Celle14 U 136/2010.11.2021UPE-Zuschläge are reimbursable even under a notional settlement if, based on local conditions, they would be incurred at a brand-affiliated specialist repair shop.https://dejure.org/2021,45733
OLG München10 U 627/2106.04.2022UPE-Aufschläge are a non-independent line item within the assessment of repair costs and must be reimbursed if they would typically have been incurred.https://dejure.org/dienste/vernetzung/rechtsprechung?Gericht=OLG+M%C3%BCnchen&Datum=06.04.2022&Aktenzeichen=10+U+627/21
LG Meiningen2 O 302/2129.12.2021Verbringungskosten were awarded; a review report (Prüfbericht) commissioned by the insurer does not, without more, undermine the private expert report (Privatgutachten).https://dejure.org/2021,57395
LG Memmingen33 O 1276/1708.01.2019Verbringungskosten must be reimbursed even under a notional settlement.https://dejure.org/2019,6481
OLG HammI-26 U 72/1628.03.2017Opposing position. A deduction of 172.12 euros in UPE-Aufschlag is justified if the reasonable referral repair shop does not charge this item.https://verkehrslexikon.de/Texte/Rspr8759.php
AG München332 C 26626/1206.12.2012For vehicles under three years old, the brand dealer is the reference shop; if it charges UPE-Aufschläge, they must be reimbursed in full even notionally.IWW Unfallregulierung effektiv, Fachbeitrag „UPE-Aufschlag fiktiv bei jungem Fahrzeug“
AG Mönchengladbach36 C 35/1429.04.2014If the brand dealers in the region consistently charge UPE-Aufschläge, they must be reimbursed notionally even for an older vehicle.IWW Unfallregulierung effektiv, Fachbeitrag „UPE-Aufschlag bei fiktiver Abrechnung“

Frequently asked questions

The insurer is deducting the UPE-Aufschläge — what can I do?

Check whether your expert report establishes that the applicable repair shop charges UPE-Aufschläge. If so, maintain the item in writing and set a payment deadline.

What does UPE-Aufschlag mean on my invoice?

A surcharge on the manufacturer's non-binding price recommendation (UPE) for spare parts. Repair shops charge it to cover procurement, storage, and the risk of unsold parts.

Do I get UPE-Aufschläge even under a notional settlement?

Yes, if your applicable reference repair shop actually charges them. The Bundesgerichtshof (Federal Court of Justice) requires no repair invoice; what counts is regional custom per your expert report.

How high may UPE-Aufschläge be?

There is no nationwide benchmark. One Higher Regional Court (OLG) recognized an expert-determined regional surcharge of 10 percent in an individual case.

May the insurer refer me to a repair shop without a UPE-Aufschlag?

Possibly. The shop must be equivalent and easily accessible for you. For vehicles under three years old, referral to a non-brand repair shop is usually excluded.

What if my expert report doesn't show the UPE-Aufschlag?

Request a supplementary statement from your expert. It can subsequently establish which repair shops in your region charge the surcharge.

Sources

Next step

Describe your case using the form, or call us — both ways reach the office responsible for you. Report a claim or call: 02232 941994.

Last reviewed: 2026-08-29