The Shoulder
The Shoulder
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Property damagehumble-elk-223

Got a diminished value offer that seems like a joke — is this normal?

So my car got rear-ended pretty hard at a red light about two months ago. The other driver was fully at fault — their insurance accepted liability right away, no dispute there. Repairs came out to just under five grand, and honestly the body shop did decent work, but the car still has a repaired frame section on its history now.

I filed a diminished value claim because, well, the car is worth less now. Anyone who's ever sold a used car knows the moment a CarFax shows structural repairs, buyers run or lowball you hard. The car is barely two years old with pretty low mileage.

Their adjuster came back with an offer that is genuinely embarrassing. We're talking a few hundred dollars. I looked it up and apparently they used something called the "17c formula" which from what I can tell basically exists to lowball everyone.

I've pushed back once already in writing and they basically restated the same number with different words. I'm not trying to get rich off this — I just want something that actually reflects real-world resale impact.

Has anyone successfully fought a diminished value claim and gotten a more realistic number? Did you hire an appraiser? Go through an attorney? I'm not sure what the right next move is here and I don't want to leave real money on the table just because I don't know the process.

Any advice from people who've been through this would be genuinely helpful. Thanks.

11replies

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11 replies

  • 12
    warm-kestrel-875

    Oh man, I went through almost the exact same thing last year. The 17c formula is basically a joke — it was designed by insurance companies to minimize payouts and it's not legally required anywhere. I hired an independent DV appraiser for a few hundred bucks and they came back with a number that was several times higher than what the insurer offered. That report alone gave me way more leverage when I pushed back.

  • 19
    cool-wren-441

    That lowball number is not an accident. Insurers know most people will either accept it out of frustration or just not know how to fight it. They are counting on you giving up. Do not accept anything in writing until you've at least gotten an independent appraisal. Once you cash that check you may be signing away your right to come back for more.

  • 12
    kind-seal-179

    I used to work on the claims side and I'll be honest — the 17c formula gets used because it's easy to defend internally and most claimants don't push back. But it is genuinely not the only acceptable methodology. An independent appraiser who uses actual market comparables will produce a much more defensible number. When claimants came back with those reports, we had to take them more seriously. It changes the conversation.

  • 20
    careful-elk-806

    A few things worth knowing: diminished value claims are treated differently by state, so it's worth quickly researching whether your state has any specific rules or case law around DV. Also, document everything — keep every email, every letter, every phone call note. If this escalates to a demand letter or small claims, that paper trail matters a lot. An independent appraisal report is probably your single most useful tool right now.

    • 4
      hopeful-driver778

      Thanks for sharing. Hope things are getting a little easier for you.

  • 6
    wise-elk-111

    Not legal advice, but diminished value claims are often worth pursuing, especially on newer low-mileage vehicles where the repaired-damage disclosure really does hit resale value hard. A lot of PI attorneys will at least do a free consult on a DV claim, and some work these on contingency. Might be worth a conversation before you negotiate further on your own.

  • 15
    kind-fox-155

    Get an independent appraisal. Full stop. It'll cost you a couple hundred dollars and it's almost always worth it on a newer car. Don't keep negotiating without one — you're just arguing feelings versus their spreadsheet right now.

    • 7
      hopeful-optimist124

      Same boat here. Did anyone mention a deadline to watch out for?

  • 17
    wise-tern-363

    I'm so sorry you're dealing with this on top of everything else. It's exhausting to have to fight this hard when the accident wasn't even your fault. Don't let them wear you down — you deserve to be made whole.

    • 1
      honest-parent377

      Wish I had seen this a month ago — would have saved me a lot of stress.

  • 7
    clear-wren-264

    What state are you in? That actually matters quite a bit here because some states don't even allow first-party DV claims and the rules on third-party claims vary a lot. Also, did you get the appraisal done at a dealership or an independent shop? Those details could affect how strong your position actually is.