My car was damaged while loading onto a ferry. Who is responsible?

That depends on how it happened, and it is decided on facts rather than opinions. Note the vessel, the time and the lane, photograph the position before anything moves, and ask for the incident to be recorded by the crew. A technical report can establish what the damage pattern is consistent with; who bears the cost is a legal question for a lawyer.

The rental company charged me for damage I did not cause. Can you help?

We can assess whether the damage is consistent with the event described, and how old the damage appears to be — both are technical questions. Your best evidence, though, is the set of photographs you took at collection and return. Take them every time.

Is it worth having the car repaired in Split before driving home?

Only what is needed to make it safe for the journey. Full repairs belong where the workshop can order the right parts and where you can go back if something is wrong — and in any case, nothing should be repaired before the damage has been recorded.

Split, the Dugopolje descent and central Dalmatia

Split is where a fast motorway ends abruptly above a city that was built inside a Roman palace. The change of pace is the story of this corridor, and so is the traffic that a ferry port generates every few hours.

Coming off the A1 at Dugopolje

The motorway leaves the plateau and descends steeply towards the coast. Two things happen there: brakes that have not worked hard for two hundred kilometres suddenly do, and traffic that was flowing at motorway speed meets a queue.

Rear-end collisions on this descent are the single most common accident type on the corridor. They are also the easiest to document badly, because the vehicles are usually drivable and everyone is in a hurry to clear the lane. Photograph the final positions before moving, even if it costs you five minutes.

The port, the ferries and the island vehicles

Split is the largest passenger port on the Adriatic, and its access roads carry a rhythm of arrivals and departures rather than a steady flow. Manoeuvring damage in the loading lanes and on the ramps is routine: kerbs, ramp edges, low front spoilers and towed vehicles on tight turns.

Damage that happens during loading is a claim against a known party, and that is worth remembering in the moment. Note the vessel, the time, the lane and the person directing the manoeuvre, and photograph the position before the vehicle is moved. Once the ferry has sailed, the evidence sails with it.

Rental cars and the airport belt

The area between the airport, Trogir and the city holds a dense concentration of rental vehicles, and disputes about their condition are a category of their own. They are almost always won or lost at the handover.

Photograph the vehicle in full at collection and again at return, with the date visible, including the wheels, the underside of the bumpers and the windscreen. If damage is charged that you dispute, an independent technical assessment of whether the damage pattern matches the claimed event is a document you can put on the table. That is a factual question, and it can be answered.

Recording the damage in Dalmatia

Distances here are longer than they look and the summer traffic makes them longer still. The vehicle is inspected where it stands, and if it is not roadworthy it should be moved once, straight to its destination.

Photographs over WhatsApp first; the preliminary assessment is free and usually comes back the same day. MOTOEXPERT documents and values damage — we do not settle claims for you, and where the matter needs a lawyer we recommend a specialist in traffic law.

Frequently asked questions

My car was damaged while loading onto a ferry. Who is responsible?: That depends on how it happened, and it is decided on facts rather than opinions. Note the vessel, the time and the lane, photograph the position before anything moves, and ask for the incident to be recorded by the crew. A technical report can establish what the damage pattern is consistent with; who bears the cost is a legal question for a lawyer.
The rental company charged me for damage I did not cause. Can you help?: We can assess whether the damage is consistent with the event described, and how old the damage appears to be — both are technical questions. Your best evidence, though, is the set of photographs you took at collection and return. Take them every time.
Is it worth having the car repaired in Split before driving home?: Only what is needed to make it safe for the journey. Full repairs belong where the workshop can order the right parts and where you can go back if something is wrong — and in any case, nothing should be repaired before the damage has been recorded.