Category: Tesla Diminished Value

SOUND DIMINISHED VALUE ADVICE

February 25, 2024February 25, 2024 by stlucieappraisal

The St. Lucie Appraisal Company, Automobile Appraisers in all 50 States 772-359-4300 contact@stlucieappraisal.net

TESLA OWNER: In California you cannot claim Diminished Value (DV) against your own insurance company unless it is specifically written into the policy (I would imagine a high percentage of policies do not include DV). I went through a DV claim a few months ago. I was rear ended while stopped at a traffic signal and the at fault parties’ insurance (Nationwide) accepted responsibility. The damage was limited to the bumper cover and was less than $2,000.00 to repair. As we all know, the fact that the vehicle now has an accident on file is what lowers the value. Accidents with greater damage can increase the amount DV. The first thing I did was get a DV appraisal from https://tesladiminishedvalue.com for $350.00. I found that site through suggestions on Tesla Motors Club. The report was completed in about one week. Once completed, I sent the report along with the included demand letter over to Nationwide. It was almost immediately rejected. I contacted the at fault party and informed them that their insurance company rejected the claim and my only recourse would be small claims court, unless they could get Nationwide to pay the DV. Nationwide contacted me and asked that I not contact their client. I told them essentially that they needed to indemnify their client or I would sue. They did not change their stance. It is to be noted that you can file a complaint with the California Department of Insurance. However, my research suggested this would fruitless and a waste of time since they cannot legally make the insurance company pay the DV. Ultimately, I filed a small claims case within my county. It was much easier than I thought it would be.

A few things to note:

1. You can only sue the at fault party, and cannot sue the insurance company

2. The maximum amount for small claims court in California is $10,000.00 if you are suing an individual, and only $5,000.00 if you are suing a business. Anything higher and you will need to file a civil case which will increase court costs and may require an attorney.

3. The process for filing the claim was pretty easy using an automated program on the court’s website.

4. Court cost was around $80.00 to file the case. I paid an additional $55.00 to have a process server actually serve the at fault party and another $45.00 to have the server file the proof of service with the court. I never had to leave my house. I filed the small claims case online and made a phone call to the process server company. It was much easier than I thought.

5. Court was simple. No lawyers allowed in small claims court in California. The at fault party stipulated to being at fault, so I didn’t have to argue that portion. I brought the DV report, my email exchanges with nationwide and the at fault party, and screen shots of my phone records for the calls I made with them. The judge looked at the Diminished Value report and the at fault party argued that it should be less and that I hadn’t “realized” the DV because I didn’t sell the vehicle. The judge stated the vehicle did not need to be sold for the DV to be realized.

6. The judge ultimately ruled in my favor and I was awarded the DV. The at fault parties’ insurance company called me a day or two later and wanted to confirm my address prior to mailing me my check.

Some things I learned:

1. Get the DV report soon after the accident. I waited a while and the value of my car lowered in that 9-month time frame. It was hard for the judge to identify what the value of my vehicle would have been worth at the time of the accident. Ultimately, I was happy with the judgment awarded, but it was a little less than what I filed my claim for.

2. You have 3 years from the date of the accident to file the small claims case.

3. Insurance companies will flat out lie and tell you that DV does not exist in your state and feed a bunch of other lies as well. Do not believe them.

4. Do not waste time going back and forth. Move from requesting the DV and them denying it to immediately filing the small claims case. I only spent about 3 weeks, but I wish I had done it sooner. Some people go back and forth for months (No thanks).

5. If the at fault parties’ insurance still does not pay after the judgment, then the at fault party will need to turn around and sue their own insurance to recoup their loss. Theoretically, it would be a simple case for them to win.

6. Civil jury instruction 3903J within California specifically outlines Diminished Value In other words, clearly DV exists in California since there are literal instructions for a jury on the matter.

7. The judge did not include the $350.00 I paid for the report in his judgment, but did include the court fees.

I know this is lengthy, but I hope it helps someone out. Based on my research here on Tesla Motors Club and online there are a lot posts about Diminished Value, but not a clear explanation on filing one from start to finish. Obtaining the DV report was a $350.00 gamble, but in my case it was worth it. Good luck to all of you who took the time to read this!

*I am not a lawyer. I am passionate on this subject since I feel like insurance companies are more than happy to take money for premiums and then will fight tooth and nail to deny or minimize claims. I understand it is a “for profit” business, but I cannot stand them denying legitimate claims.

QUESTION: Who did you use to get the DV report?

TESLA OWNER: I used https://tesladiminshedvalue.com It’s a website used by the St. Lucie Appraisal Company. The report was thorough and I received it about a week after payment. I found their website on Tesla Motors Club. Best of luck!

READ CUSTOMER REVIEWS OF THE ST. LUCIE APPRAISAL COMPANY
Click on the payment buttons below. The fee for an exotic car Automobile Diminished Value Report is $350.00. The fee for an exotic car Loss of Use Report is $225.00. You can also make your Credit Card Payment by telephone, call 772-359-4300.Before making your secure payment please email the completed body shop estimate or insurance company appraisal to contact@tesladiminishedvalue.com

Service throughout Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi , Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming

This is an Open Education resource focused on auto diminished value, collective knowledge and the sharing of scholarly content.TESLADIMINISHEDVALUE.COM and TOTALLOSSDISPUTE.COM are services of The St. Lucie Appraisal Company

Tesla S85 Diminished Value Claim in Los Angeles, California

November 12, 2023November 4, 2023 by stlucieappraisal

St. Lucie Appraisal, automobile, personal property, diminished value, appraiser

Each week we report on the most interesting and informative articles concerning auto diminished value claims. Regarding our diminished value appraisal of a Tesla S85 4 Door Sedan with 28,821 miles that was involved in a Front End Collision that caused $29,106.94 in damage. The vehicle was disabled/towed, had structural damage and no air bag deployment. The claimant hired an independent auto appraiser near Los Angeles and made a third-party inherent auto diminished value claim for the vehicle’s loss in value. Once a car is repaired after a collision, it is worth less, often much less depending on the severity of the damage. Regardless of how well the repairer did his job, nobody will pay as much for a previously wrecked car as they would for an identical one that was never in an accident. Presenting a diminished value claim and following it through to a satisfactory conclusion is a daunting task for the average person. Obtaining a comprehensive Diminished Value Appraisal is key.

WE DON’T USE FORMULAS, ALGORITHMS, AD COMPARISONS OR OTHER SHORT CUTS
SIX UNBIASED DEALER QUOTES IN EVERY APPRAISAL TO VALIDATE OUR RESEARCH
TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS ALWAYS FREE-OF-CHARGE

We learned from these examples from sales managers at exotic new car dealerships in Southern California – The car will lose substantial value because of the structural damage. Also that since the integrity of the unibody was compromised you are looking at 30% to 50% less come trade-in time and also that frame damage on the Carfax is a red flag that would deter most buyers from purchasing the car. The opinions of unbiased experts form the basis for the most comprehensive Auto Diminished Value Appraisal available. We obtain six of them which absolutely puts the diminished value figure prepared by The St. Lucie Appraisal Company in the ballpark. This is what the car owner will experience in the real world.Dealers providing opinions regarding diminished value were given information specific to this vehicle including year, make, model, mileage, color, options, any other pertinent equipment, date of loss as well as the nature of the repaired damages and the manner in which the vehicle was repaired. Dealer opinions are based on personal knowledge and access to auction results. Dealers were advised that this vehicle was properly repaired.We contacted several exotic new car dealers in Southern California in order to establish how these repairs and the resultant repair history would impact this vehicle’s Fair Market Value (FMV.) Dealers were provided with an evaluation of the vehicle’s condition both prior and subsequent to repairs.

Description of damage: Disabling collision damages to the Front including damage to structural components and no air bag deployment. Repair cost $29,106.94. LKQ (used) and/or aftermarket parts were not utilized in the repair/not factored in to the diminished value.

The average of six (6) deductions was 35.83%%. This is the percentage of Diminished Value to be taken from the FMV at the time of loss.

We established that the above captioned vehicle had a Fair Market Value (Average Trade-In Value) of approximately $50,000.00 at the time of loss. The Diminished Value was $17,915.00.

READ CUSTOMER REVIEWS OF THE ST. LUCIE APPRAISAL COMPANY

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.

After making your secure payment please email the body shop estimate or insurance company appraisal to contact@autodiminishedvalue.com TESLA AND OTHER EXOTIC CAR OWNERS PLEASE CALL FOR RATES.

Service in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach, Oakland, Bakersfield, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Riverside, Stockton, Chula Vista, Irvine, Fremont, San Bernardino, Modesto, Oxnard, Fontana, Moreno Valley, Huntington Beach, Glendale, Santa Clarita, Garden Grove, Oceanside, Santa Rosa, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Elk Grove, Lancaster, Corona, Palmdale, Salinas, Hayward, Pomona, Escondido, Sunnyvale, Torrance, Orange, Pasadena, Fullerton, Thousand Oaks, Visalia, Roseville, Simi Valley, Concord, Victorville, Santa Clara, Vallejo, Berkeley, El Monte, Downey, Costa Mesa, Inglewood, Carlsbad, Fairfield, Ventura, Richmond, Murrieta, Antioch, Temecula, Norwalk, Daly City, Burbank, Santa Maria, El Cajon, Rialto, San Mateo, Clovis, Jurupa Valley, Compton, Vista, Mission Viejo, South Gate, Vacaville, Carson, Santa Monica, Arden-Arcade, Hesperia, Westminster, Redding, Santa Barbara, San Marcos, Chico, San Leandro, Newport Beach, Whittier, Hawthorne, Citrus Heights, Livermore, Tracy, Alhambra, Indio, Menifee, Buena Park, Hemet, Lakewood, Merced, Chino, Redwood City, Lake Forest, Napa, Tustin, Mountain View, Bellflower, Baldwin Park, Alameda, Upland, San Ramon, Pleasanton and throughout California. auto appraiser near 90011, auto appraiser near 90201, auto appraiser near 90650, auto appraiser near 91331

This is an Open Education resource focused on auto diminished value, collective knowledge and the sharing of scholarly content.AUTODIMINISHEDVALUE.COM and TOTALLOSSDISPUTE.COM are services of The St. Lucie Appraisal Company
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Tesla Diminished Value Claim in San Jose, California

November 12, 2023November 3, 2023 by stlucieappraisal

St. Lucie Automobile and Diminished Value Appraiser

Each week we report on the most interesting and informative articles concerning auto diminished value claims. Regarding our diminished value appraisal of a Tesla S70 AWD Sedan with 12,000 miles that was involved in a Front-End Collision that caused $27,156.45 in damage. The car was disabled/towed and had structural damage and no air bag deployment. The claimant hired an independent auto appraiser and made a third-party inherent auto diminished value claim for the vehicle’s loss in value. Once a car is repaired after a collision, it is worth less, often much less depending on the severity of the damage. Regardless of how well the repairer did his job, nobody will pay as much for a previously wrecked car as they would for an identical one that was never in an accident. Presenting a diminished value claim and following it through to a satisfactory conclusion is a daunting task for the average person. Obtaining a comprehensive Diminished Value Report is key.
WE DON’T USE FORMULAS, ALGORITHMS, AD COMPARISONS OR OTHER SHORT CUTS
SIX UNBIASED DEALER QUOTES IN EVERY APPRAISAL TO VALIDATE OUR RESEARCH
TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS ALWAYS FREE-OF-CHARGE

We learned from these examples from sales managers at exotic new car dealerships in Northern California – when there is frame damage there will be a much larger loss because dealers have to sell for much less, also that normally when there is a severe accident of this nature where there is frame damage shown on Carfax the loss could range anywhere from 25-30% and because it is newer and has now a substantially large accident report with frame damage listed, the loss would be much greater than it would be for a car with minor damage could be 50%.

The opinions of unbiased experts form the basis for the most comprehensive Auto Diminished Value Appraisal available. We obtain six of them which absolutely puts the diminished value figure prepared by The St. Lucie Appraisal Company in the ballpark. This is what the car owner will experience in the real world.

A red Tesla S sedan. A Diminished Value Appraiser in San Jose, California call 772-359-4300. — A Tesla Diminished Value Claim in San Jose, California

Dealers providing opinions regarding diminished value were given information specific to this vehicle including year, make, model, mileage, color, options, any other pertinent equipment, date of loss as well as the nature of the repaired damages and the manner in which the vehicle was repaired. Dealer opinions are based on personal knowledge and access to auction results. Dealers were advised that this vehicle was properly repaired.

We contacted several exotic new car dealers in California to establish how these repairs and the resultant repair history would impact this vehicle’s Fair Market Value (FMV.) Dealers were provided with an evaluation of the vehicle’s condition both prior and subsequent to repairs.

CALIFORNIA LICENSED INDEPENDENT AUTO APPRAISER

Description of damage: Disabling collision damages to the Front including damage to structural components and no air bag deployment. Repair cost $27,156.45. LKQ (used) and/or aftermarket parts were not utilized in the repair/not factored in to the diminished value.

The average of six (6) deductions was 30.42%%. This is the percentage of Diminished Value to be taken from the FMV at the time of loss.

We established that the above captioned vehicle had a Fair Market Value (Average Trade-In Value) of approximately $65,000.00 at the time of loss. The Diminished Value was $19,773.00

READ CUSTOMER REVIEWS OF THE ST. LUCIE APPRAISAL COMPANY

After making your secure payment please email the body shop estimate or insurance company appraisal to contact@autodiminishedvalue.com TESLA AND OTHER EXOTIC CAR OWNERS PLEASE CALL FOR RATES.

Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Plumas, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Ventura, Yolo and Yuba Counties. auto appraiser near 95111, auto appraiser near 95112, auto appraiser near 95123, auto appraiser near 95127

A Tesla Motors Diminished Value Claim in Brooklyn, New York

November 12, 2023November 3, 2023 by stlucieappraisal

Each week we report on the most interesting and informative articles concerning auto diminished value claims. Regarding our diminished value appraisal of a Tesla Motors S90D with 2,847 miles that was involved in a front-end collision that caused $10,858.27 in damage. The car was disabled & towed but had no structural damage or air bag deployment.The claimant hired an independent auto appraiser near Brooklyn and made a third-party inherent auto diminished value claim for the vehicle’s loss in value. Once a car is repaired after a collision, it is worth less, often much less depending on the severity of the damage. Regardless of how well the repairer did his job, nobody will pay as much for a previously wrecked car as they would for an identical one that was never in an accident. Presenting a diminished value claim and following it through to a satisfactory conclusion is a daunting task for the average person. Obtaining a comprehensive diminished value report is key.
WE DON’T USE FORMULAS, ALGORITHMS, AD COMPARISONS OR OTHER SHORT CUTS
SIX UNBIASED DEALER QUOTES IN EVERY APPRAISAL TO VALIDATE OUR RESEARCH
TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS ALWAYS FREE-OF-CHARGE

We learned from these examples – The car brand makes a difference on loss itself. The way it works is the more the book value of the car the more the loss is. Example: If you had a Ford Focus your loss will be less than it would for a Tesla because the it cost less therefore the loss is less. Also, normally buyers when spending this kind of money on a Tesla, buyers would like to see a clean Carfax and will expect a “Deal”. The opinions of unbiased experts form the basis for a comprehensive Auto Diminished Value Appraisal. We obtain six of them which puts an appraisal prepared by The St. Lucie Appraisal Company in the ballpark. This is what the car owner will experience in the real world.

Dealers providing opinions regarding diminished value were given information specific to this vehicle including year, make, model, mileage, color, options, any other pertinent equipment, date of loss as well as the nature of the repaired damages and the manner in which the vehicle was repaired. Dealer opinions are based on personal knowledge and access to auction results. Dealers were advised that this vehicle was properly repaired.

We contacted several exotic new car dealers in order to establish how these repairs and the resultant repair history would impact this vehicle’s Fair Market Value (FMV.) Dealers were provided with an evaluation of the vehicle’s condition both prior and subsequent to repairs.

Description of damage: Disabling collision damages to the Front not including structural components or air bag deployment. Repair cost $10,858.27. LKQ (used) and/or aftermarket parts were not utilized in the repair/not factored in to the diminished value.

The average of six (6) deductions was 15.56%. This is the percentage of Diminished Value to be taken from the Fair Market Value at the time of loss.

We have established that the above captioned vehicle had a Fair Market Value (Average Trade-In Value) of approximately $75,000.00 at the time of loss. Diminished Value = $11,670.00.

READ CUSTOMER REVIEWS OF THE ST. LUCIE APPRAISAL COMPANY

The fee for an Automobile Diminished Value Report is $275.00. Tesla and other exotic car owners please call for rates. You may also make your Credit Card Payment by telephone, call 772-359-4300.

After making your secure payment please email the completed body shop estimate or insurance company damage appraisal to contact@stlucieappraisal.net

Tesla S90D AWD Diminished Value Claim in Buffalo, New York

November 12, 2023November 1, 2023 by stlucieappraisal

Each week we report on the most interesting and informative articles concerning auto diminished value claims. Regarding our diminished value appraisal of a Tesla Motors S90 AWD Sedan with 2,847 miles that was involved in a front-end collision that caused $10,858.27 in damage in November 2017. The vehicle was disabled/towed and did not sustain structural damage.The claimant made a third-party inherent auto diminished value claim for the vehicle’s loss in value. Once a car is repaired after a collision, it is worth less, often much less depending on the severity of the damage. Regardless of how well the repairer did his job, nobody will pay as much for a previously wrecked car as they would for an identical one that was never in an accident. Presenting a diminished value claim and following it through to a satisfactory conclusion is a daunting task for the average person. Obtaining a comprehensive Diminished Value Report is key.

WE DON’T USE FORMULAS, ALGORITHMS, AD COMPARISONS OR OTHER SHORT CUTS
SIX UNBIASED DEALER QUOTES IN EVERY APPRAISAL TO VALIDATE OUR RESEARCH
TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS ALWAYS FREE-OF-CHARGE

We learned from these examples from sales managers at luxury car dealers in Upstate New York. – There would definitely be a loss of value because of the amount of damage that is on the Carfax they would have to sell it for a lot less in order to get rid of it and normally buyers when spending this kind of money on a vehicle would like to see a clean Carfax and will expect a “Deal”. Also, that the car would depreciate substantially due to the Autocheck showing damage that will make the car lose easily 15-30% off the book value. Another provided the example example if you had a Ford Focus your loss will be less than it would for a Tesla because it cost less therefore the loss is less.

We contacted several exotic car dealers dealers in Upstate New York in order to establish how these repairs and the resultant repair history would impact this vehicle’s Fair Market Value (FMV.) Dealers were provided with an evaluation of the vehicle’s condition both prior and subsequent to repairs.

Description of damage: Disabling collision damages to the Rear with no damage to structural components and no air bag deployment. Repair cost $10,858.27. LKQ (used) and/or aftermarket parts were not utilized in the repair/not factored in to the diminished value.

The average of six (6) deductions was 15.56%. This is the percentage of Diminished Value to be taken from the FMV at the time of loss.

We established that the above captioned vehicle had a Fair Market Value (Average Trade-In Value) of approximately $75,000.00 at the time of loss. The Diminished Value was $11,670.00.

READ CUSTOMER REVIEWS OF THE ST. LUCIE APPRAISAL COMPANY

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. Exotic car owners please call for rates.

After making your secure payment please email the completed body shop estimate or insurance company damage appraisal to contact@stlucieappraisal.net

Service in Albany, Amherst, Babylon, Brookhaven, Brooklyn, Bronx, Cheektowaga, Clarkstown, Colonie, Greece, Greenburgh, Hamburg, Hempstead, Huntington, Irondequoit, Islip, Manhattan, North Hempstead, New York City, Orangetown, Oyster Bay, Poughkeepsie, Queens, Ramapo, Rye, Smithtown, Staten Island, Tonawanda, Union, Webster, West Seneca, White Plains and throughout New York.Service throughout Albany, Allegany, Bronx, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Erie, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Kings, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Nassau, New York, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Orleans, Oswego, Otsego, Putnam, Queens, Rensselaer, Richmond, Rockland, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Suffolk, Sullivan, Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westchester, Wyoming and Yates Counties. auto appraiser near 14075, auto appraiser near 14150, auto appraiser near 14215, auto appraiser near 14224, auto appraiser near 14225

WE DON’T USE FORMULAS, ALGORITHMS, AD COMPARISONS OR OTHER SHORT CUTS SIX UNBIASED DEALER QUOTES IN EVERY APPRAISAL TO VALIDATE OUR RESEARCH TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS ALWAYS FREE-OF-CHARGE

WE DON’T USE FORMULAS, ALGORITHMS, AD COMPARISONS OR OTHER SHORT CUTS
SIX UNBIASED DEALER QUOTES IN EVERY APPRAISAL TO VALIDATE OUR RESEARCH
TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS ALWAYS FREE-OF-CHARGE