Diminished value appraisals in North Carolina
Your car is fixed. Its history isn't.
A car with an accident on its record often sells for less, even after a perfect repair. When another driver caused the crash, North Carolina lets you claim that lost value from their insurer. We measure it and put it in a signed appraisal you can send them.
- Licensed NC appraiser
- $500 flat
- Signed report in one business day
What an appraisal measures
From a sample report. Every car is different, and some lose little or nothing.
Is an appraisal right for you?
It usually is when all five of these are true. If you're not sure about one, ask us. Checking is free.
- The crash happened in North Carolina in the last three years
- The other driver was at faultIn North Carolina, any fault on your side usually ends the claim.
- Your car was repaired, not totaled
- You own or finance the carIf it's leased, the leasing company owns this claim.
- You haven't signed a release or cashed a "full and final" check
How it works
You send a few documents. We do the rest of the work.
- Send your documents
The repair invoice, a few photos, and the insurer's claim number.
- We check them
Within one business day we tell you if they can support a valuation. No charge for this.
- You order
Pay the $500 fee by card. We start the appraisal.
- Get your signed report
By email, within one business day. Send it to the insurer yourself, or give it to any lawyer you choose.
One flat fee, set before anyone knows the number.
The fee is the same whatever the report finds, so nothing about it depends on the number.
$500USD, flat
- A signed appraisal from a licensed North Carolina appraiser.
- Every comparable listing, with its VIN, in the exhibits.
- If the claim goes to North Carolina's appraisal process, we serve as your appraiser at no added fee.
- Full refund if your documents can't support a valuation.
Payments are processed by Stripe. We never see or store your full card number.
A report built to be checked.
Every figure traces back to a listing or a document, so the insurer's appraiser can follow each step.
- What your car was worth just before the crash
- How much the market discounts cars with an accident on record, measured from listings near you
- Any loss from the repair itself, where the evidence shows it
- The appraiser's signed opinion and license number
NC MVDA License 22347937
2024 Sample Make Model
VIN SAMPLEVIN00000000 ยท Loss of June 1, 2026
| Value immediately before the loss | $32,400 |
| Market discount for accident history, 5.0% | $1,620 |
| Value after repairs | $30,780 |
| Diminished value | $1,620 |
Signed: William F. Lucas, North Carolina Motor Vehicle Damage Appraiser
For law firms
One price and one set of terms for every firm. The fee is owed whatever the outcome, so your appraiser has no stake in the number.
Terms for firms- Fee$500 per report
- If it escalatesWe serve as your client's appraiser under G.S. 20-279.21(d1) at no added fee
- DeliverySigned PDF within one business day
Questions
Something else? Email [email protected] or call 919-752-7043.
What is diminished value?
The drop in what your car is worth because it now has an accident on its history. It's measured as the difference between its market value just before the crash and just after the repair.
Who pays it?
When another driver was at fault, you claim it from that driver's insurer, along with the repair. Your own policy in North Carolina doesn't cover it.
What if the insurer disagrees with the report?
If fault isn't disputed and your figure and the insurer's differ by more than $2,000 or 25% of the car's value before the crash, whichever is less, North Carolina law lets either side demand an appraisal: each side names an appraiser, and an umpire settles any gap (G.S. 20-279.21(d1)). We serve as your appraiser at no added fee. You pay half the shared costs of the process, including the umpire's fee, as the law provides.
Do I need a lawyer?
It's your choice what to do with the report. Send it to the insurer yourself, or give it to any lawyer you choose. We're an appraisal company, not a law firm, so we don't give legal advice or negotiate with the insurer.
How long do I have?
Generally three years from the crash in North Carolina. It's easier while the insurer's file is still open.
These answers are general information, not legal advice.
William F. Lucas reviews and signs every report. North Carolina Motor Vehicle Damage Appraiser, License No. 22347937, Durham.