If you’ve been in a car accident and are interested in maximizing diminished value, there are a number of things you should consider.
If your car has lost value because of its accident history, follow these steps to increase your diminished value recovery:
• Order a diminished value appraisal report from DVCHECK. We’re qualified professional appraisers and we’ll provide you with the value of your vehicle both before and after your accident so you’ll know exactly what your diminished value loss is and how much you should demand from the at-fault insurance company.
• Negotiate because some insurance companies may start by offering you the low end of what you feel is fair and reasonable. There is always a settlement range that they will be comfortable with, so you should never accept the first offer if it is not the amount you requested.
• After you purchase our report, you’ll get unlimited access to our experienced appraisers. We’ll help you overcome the arguments presented by the insurance companies. We’ve worked in the industry so we know what buttons to push and how to escalate the process to higher level managers, insurance department complaints, or small claims court.
• In rare instances it may be necessary to file a suit in small claims court against the other driver. This can usually cause the insurance company to increase their offer in order to settle your claim out of court. That’s because it’s expensive for them to defend against your lawsuit and it may be more cost effective for them to settle rather than to continue the fight.
• If you do go to court, you’re going to want to be in a stronger position than the insurance company. One way to do that is by having an expert appraiser with the right licenses, certifications, experience, and credentials and someone who will prepare their appraisal report to industry accepted standards.
If your car has suffered a diminished value loss as a result of an accident, you could be out thousands of dollars. That’s real money and you aren’t required to sell your vehicle to prove that it has lost value.
Act quickly to maximize your diminished value claim.
If you need help with your diminished value claim, feel free to contact us with your questions at (850) 201-1950.
