Diminished value guides
Everything we know about recovering the value your car lost, written for someone doing it themselves for the first time. No signup, no gated PDFs.
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The essentials
Most read
The questions people ask most
Understanding the claim
- Diminished value or total loss?If your car was totalled you do not have a diminished value claim. You have an actual cash value dispute, which is often worth more. How to tell which one you are in.5 min read
- When the accident appears on CarfaxReports typically lag the repair by 30 to 90 days, and your diminished value claim is much weaker until it lands. How to check, what to do if it never appears, and why it matters.4 min read
Valuing the loss
- What a car is worth after an accidentHow much resale value a repaired vehicle actually loses, what drives the size of the drop, and why the same accident costs one owner $600 and another $6,000.6 min read
- KBB and diminished valueKelley Blue Book does not calculate diminished value, but it produces the one number your whole claim scales from. How to pull the right value, and the three mistakes that get it rejected.5 min read
Filing and paperwork
- Leased or financed carsIf you lease, the diminished value claim may belong to the leasing company, but you still pay for it at turn-in. If you finance, the claim is yours. How to handle both.5 min read
- Sending it properlyCertified mail with return receipt costs about $11 and is the single cheapest thing you can do to make your claim work. Exactly how to send it, and what to keep.4 min read
When they say no
- They said no. Now what?A denial is a negotiating position, not the end. The five reasons insurers give, how to answer each one in writing, and the two escalation routes that actually work.7 min read
- Small claims courtYou sue the driver, not the insurer. What it costs, what to bring, how the hearing works, and why most of these settle before you ever stand up.6 min read
- When a claim needs a lawyerMost diminished value claims are too small for contingency work and simple enough to run yourself. The honest math on hiring an attorney, the four situations where you should, and what it costs.6 min read
Find out what your claim is worth
Three minutes, no account, no email. You see the number before you decide anything.