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Autopraisal

  • Diminished Valuation Services

    Your car is almost repaired and it's suffered a loss of value, now what? 
    We're here to help.

    Contact Us

Back to pre-accident condition is more than vehicle repairs.

Diminished value is one of the most overlooked losses after a car accident—even though it affects thousands of vehicles every day. Once a vehicle has been in a collision, its resale value drops instantly, no matter how well it’s repaired. That loss can add up to thousands.


Insurance companies often downplay diminished value or make minimal offers, but these rarely reflect the true loss. Calculating it involves multiple factors—market conditions, damage severity, age, mileage, and more—and insurers have a financial incentive to keep payouts low.


What most drivers don’t realize is that diminished value claims are negotiable, even if they’re told otherwise. To negotiate effectively, you need precise, credible data, not basic online estimates.


That’s where an independent appraiser comes in. Autopraisal provides detailed, defensible valuations to help you challenge low offers and recover the compensation you’re entitled to.


*Not every state recognizes DV claims and as such insurers can deny DV claims. Let's talk about it.

Diminished Value Checklist

In most states you'll need to meet these three criteria to pursue a Diminished Value claim. Please note that this is not a comprehensive list as requirements vary from state to state. We'll review the details for FREE and determine your options to pursue a diminished value claim before your pay for our service. 

Fault

The accident must be deemed notyour fault to pursue a Diminished Value claim in most states. Depending on how liability is determined, you may need to be only 'majority' not at fault.

Insured

The at-fault driver must have active insurance coverage to pursue a Diminished Value claim. This is not something you can pursue on your own policy in most states.

Value

Your vehicle must have had reasonable value before the accident. Things like previous accidents, branded title, very high mileage, unrepaired prior damage, and more may disqualify a diminished value claim. 

Diminished Value Appraisal

A thoroughly researched, comprehensive, and defensible appraisal report that is USPAP aligned and completed by valuation experts (humans - not AI). Our Diminished Value appraisal reports are usually completed within 24-48 business hours from the time we receive your completed request.


Once your appraisal is complete, a member of our team will review the report with you, answer your questions, and provide helpful resources to support your claim.


$400 Flat Fee 

(plus sales tax where applicable)

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Service Areas

Autopraisal proudly provides independent vehicle appraisal services throughout Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. Appraisals are completed remotely using vehicle documentation, provided photographs, repair estimates, market research, and comparable sales data, allowing us to efficiently serve clients across all three states without requiring an on-site inspection.


Whether you need a Total Loss Appraisal, Diminished Value Appraisal, or Salvage Value Appraisal, you'll receive the same USPAP-compliant, evidence-based valuation regardless of your location. Our streamlined virtual process makes it easy to obtain a professional appraisal from the comfort of your home while maintaining the thorough research and independent analysis every assignment deserves.

Diminished Value FAQs

Simply put, it's the amount of money lost because the vehicle was in an accident or in some cases, not repaired to proper standards. Often, when you sell your trade your vehicle the other party may run a Carfax or similar report. The report will most likely show that the vehicle was damaged. The other party to dealer may want to offer less (not not want the car at all) due to this. This is referred to 'stigma'. This claim of additional money is intended to compensate you for this loss.

Generally yes! A DV claim is intended for the titled owner (leases generally don't qualify). Your vehicle should meet the three criteria mentioned above. And finally the state you live may null the option of pursuing a DV claim based on stated laws and regulations.

That's like asking for the recipe to our secret sauce. Not really! Actually, it depends. Basically we would determine what your vehicle was worth before the accident as compared to it's worth after the repairs are made. The difference is the amount of Diminished Value.

Usually yes. Unless your vehicle had a low value prior the loss due to prior accidents reported, age, condition, mileage, etc, then your vehicle likely still lost value even if it's minimal.

No. In the case of total loss, your being paid the actual cash value of the vehicle as it was prior to the accident. In this case, there is no loss of value due the accident.

Generally, yes! Newer vehicles and luxury vehicles carry a higher value, often cost more to repair, and are generally subject to high DV claims.

Each state's statute of limitations varier. Autopraisal recommends beginning the process as soon as possible, however it's generally not feasible to produce an accurate value until the repairs are complete. We compiled some good to know stats for the states we primarily serve. You'll see the statute of limitations listed. Check it out clicking HERE.