In Alabama, diminished value claims are typically pursued against the at-fault party’s insurance company. Insurers often attempt to minimize payouts by relying on internal formulas that do not reflect real market behavior. An independent appraisal helps establish the true loss in value based on the expert opinions of six new car dealers in Alabama to support our opinions.
If your vehicle was involved in an accident in Alabama, it has likely lost value—even after proper repairs. This diminished value reflects the difference between what your car was worth before the accident and its current market value. We work for vehicle owners—not the insurance company. Alabama insurers often rely on internal formulas that minimize payouts, but our independent appraisals use real dealer input to help owners claim their fair value.
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| AUTOMOBILE DIMINISHED VALUE APPRAISER IN ALABAMA |
Alabama ZIP Codes & Areas We Serve for Diminished Value Claims
35401, 36832, 36081, 36830, 35816, 35404, 35805, 35115, 36054, 35215
Do you need us to physically inspect the car? For INHERENT DIMINISHED VALUE claims, a physical inspection of the repaired car is unnecessary and only serves to line the appraiser’s pocket as you will be charged more for this service. The car is fixed. Repairs were satisfactorily done. There’s nothing to see. Let’s move on to why your car is worth less – because it now has a repair history. In the case of REPAIR-RELATED diminished value claims, which is a loss of value because of shoddy repairs we will send an appraiser because a physical inspection is, indeed, necessary. Your claim, as well as 99% of diminished value claims, represents INHERENT DIMINISHED VALUE which is the loss of value because the vehicle now has a repair history or bad Carfax.
WE ARE THE BEST AND MOST HIGHLY-RATED AUTO DIMINISHED VALUE APPRAISERS IN ALABAMA. OUR COMPANY VALIDATES OUR DIMINISHED VALUE RESEARCH BY SPEAKING TO THE SALES MANAGERS AT SIX NEW CAR DEALERSHIPS IN ALABAMA. THIS SUPPORTS OUR EXPERT OPINIONS, PROVIDING PROBATIVE EVIDENCE TO STRENGTHEN YOUR INSURANCE CLAIM OR COURT CASE.
The automobile diminished value report you receive from AUTO DIMINISHED VALUE is based entirely on our estimation and the opinions of six used car managers at automobile dealerships in Alabama. By making a claim against the insurance company of the responsible driver, consumers should be able to recoup every dollar lost in value by submitting an Automobile Diminished Value Appraisal to the insurance adjuster.
Click on the payment button above to pay by Credit Card or Paypal. The fee for an Automobile Diminished Value Report is
$275.00. You may also make your Credit Card Payment by telephone, call 772-359-4300.
Service throughout Alabama including Anniston, Athens, Auburn, Bessemer, Birmingham, Decatur, Dothan, Enterprise, Florence, Gadsden, Hoover, Huntsville, Madison, Mobile, Montgomery, Opelika, Phenix City, Prattville, Tuscaloosa and Vestavia Hills
Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Butler, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Cleburne, Coffee, Colbert, Conecuh, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dale, Dallas, DeKalb, Elmore, Escambia, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Geneva, Greene, Hale, Henry, Houston, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Lowndes, Macon, Madison, Marengo, Marion, Marshall, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Randolph, Russell, Saint Clair, Shelby, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Washington, Wilcox and Winston Counties
Questions and Answers about Diminished Value in Alabama
Q: What is Inherent Diminished Value?
A: The term “inherent diminished value” describes a stigma loss whereby potential buyers of used cars will naturally prefer to purchase vehicles that were never involved in collisions to those that were previously repaired.
Q: In Alabama, you can only file a Third-Party Diminished Value Claim. What is a Third-Party claim?
A: This expression means that you are making a claim against the insurance company of the person responsible for causing the damage to your car rather than against your own insurer which are known as First-Party claims. This is important to know because many insurance companies will try to say that Alabama case law prohibits diminished value claims. While that may be true in First-Party claims, there is no case law that addresses Third-Party claims. They are covered under the liability portion of the at-fault drivers automobile insurance policy.
“Automobile insurance policy” means a policy providing Third-Party coverage for property damage liability. “Diminished value” means the actual or perceived loss in market value or resale value which results from a direct or accidental loss. Diminished value is an element of property damage under an automobile insurance policy for Third-Party claims. It should not bar the right of the claimant to promptly assert a claim for diminished value if the diminished value was directly caused by the accident
Q: How is The St. Lucie Appraisal Company different from other independent appraisers that prepare automobile diminished value reports?
A: Virtually every independent appraisal company working in the field of auto diminished value in Alabama either relies on online ad or book value comparisons, formulas or “algorithms” based on severity of damage, mileage, etc. or simply offer their “expert opinions.” Insurance adjusters routinely downgrade these types of reports for different reasons, primarily because they are so easy to challenge in court.
Formulas such as State Farm’s Rule 17c use what is called “damage modifiers” that assign points according to severity of damage and mileage. Independent auto diminished value appraisers using this formula must, naturally, use higher modifiers than insurance companies would. This simply creates a controversy over whose formula is right. The same goes for so-called algorithms.
Our company confirms our diminished value opinions by speaking with the pre-owned managers at automobile dealerships – the people directly responsible for buying the trade-ins. In our query, the year, make, model, mileage, color options, condition, amount and nature of damages is discussed. Based on that information, a dealer can determine exactly how much less he would pay for the car. We compile six dealer quotes and by averaging their deductions, our automobile diminished value figures are created. It is clearly noted in our reports that all of the dealers queried are told that the subject vehicles are not available for purchase or trade, therefore, none of the dealers queried have any vested interest in the subject vehicles. Our clients receive much fairer treatment from insurers.
Q: Do I need an attorney to file an automobile diminished value claim on my behalf?
A: You may elect to hire a lawyer that specializes in Alabama diminished value cases from the outset but you can also file your automobile diminished value claim yourself. Our reports usually result in satisfactory claim settlements, however, after submitting your report to the insurance company, if you feel that their offer is inadequate or you are being treated unfairly, that would be the time to hire a lawyer to work on your behalf. It should be noted that our experience testifying as an expert witness has resulted in insurance companies being ordered to pay for the independent appraisal fee, the expert witness fee and for the claimant attorney’s fee in addition to the full amount of the diminished value. Our clients have never lost a case where we appeared as an expert witness. Consumers in the state are also permitted to make complaints for unfair claim practices to the Alabama Consumer Services Division at (334) 241-4141
Q: In what states are St. Lucie Appraisal’s services available?
A: Our automobile diminished value appraisals are sought after by car owners all over the country. We provide automobile diminished value reports in Alabama as well as in all 50 states.
Q: Does the independent appraiser need to physically inspect my repaired vehicle?
A: With regard to hiring an appraiser for a personal inspection your car, everyone should be aware that a physical inspection of the repaired car is completely unnecessary and only serves to line the appraiser’s pocket as you will be charged more for their service. The car is fixed. There’s nothing to see. In the case of REPAIR-RELATED diminished value, which is a loss of value because of shoddy repairs, a physical inspection is, indeed, necessary. Your claim, and 99% of diminished value claims, represent INHERENT DIMINISHED VALUE and only allege a loss of value because the vehicle now has a repair history or bad Carfax.
Q: The insurance company has made an offer for diminished value. Am I required to accept it?
A: Our recommendation – Do not accept an insurer’s Automobile Diminished Value settlement offer without first obtaining an appraisal from an independent appraiser. Because once you’ve signed and accepted the insurance company’s offer, the door to your receiving a fair settlement is closed.
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