Certified Auto Appraiser · Diminished value
Diminished value appraisals in Orange County
Your car was hit, it's been repaired, and it looks great. But the day you go to sell or trade it, the accident history will cost you. A diminished value appraisal documents that loss, so you can claim it.
From the field
Fixed isn't the same as never hit.
Picture a nearly new truck, rear-ended at a light on PCH. The body shop does a beautiful job. The owner gets the truck back and figures that's the end of it.
Then they go to trade it in. The dealer pulls the history report, sees the accident, and the offer drops by thousands. Nothing is wrong with the truck. The market simply pays less for a car with an accident on its record. That gap is diminished value.
I've bought and sold cars for thirty years, and I see this from the dealer's side every day. I document what your car was worth before the accident, what it's worth now with that history, and the difference, so you can claim it from the at-fault driver's insurance.
Keep driving,
David
When you need one
- Your car was damaged in an accident that wasn't your fault
- The repair is complete and the accident now shows on the history report
- The car is newer, low-mileage, or valuable, where the loss is largest
- The insurer offered little or nothing for diminished value
- Your attorney needs documented support for the claim
What the report includes
- Value before the accident, and value after repair with the accident history
- Review of the repair estimate, photographs and the history report
- An in-person inspection of the repaired car
- Market evidence for the loss, from dealer and wholesale data
- A signed certification, prepared in line with USPAP
Independence
The other driver's insurer pays
In California, diminished value is typically claimed from the at-fault driver's insurance company, not your own. Claims have deadlines, so it's best to start soon after the repair is finished. My report gives you, or your attorney, a documented number to put in front of the adjuster.
Questions
Good to know.
What is diminished value?
The loss in market value a car suffers after an accident and repair, because buyers pay less for a car with accident history, even when the repair is excellent.
Can I claim diminished value in California?
Generally yes, from the at-fault driver's insurance company. Claims against your own policy are usually not covered. If the accident is disputed, talk to an attorney.
Which cars lose the most?
Newer, low-mileage, luxury, exotic and collector cars typically lose the most, because their buyers are the most sensitive to accident history.
Does the repair have to be finished first?
Usually, yes. I value the car after repair, with its accident history, and compare that with its value before the accident.
What if the insurer offers me a formula number?
Some insurers use formulas that rarely reflect the real market. An independent appraisal is based on what the market actually pays for your car with its history.
Do you come to me?
Yes. I inspect cars in person throughout Orange County, from Newport Beach and Irvine to Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita.
Other appraisals
Request an appraisal
Tell me about the car, the accident and the repair, and whose insurance is handling the claim. I'll reply personally.