If your classic or custom car is involved in an accident, you need a diminished value appraisal to protect your investment and to help you sell the vehicle, if that is what you want to do.
If you are not at fault in the accident, you can file a diminished value claim with the insurance company of the at-fault party. This will provide the difference between your car’s worth before the damage occurred and what you could get for it on the market after the accident. You are safeguarding your investment by getting a diminished value appraisal so that you can make the claim with the other party’s insurance company.
On the other hand, if you’re trying to sell your vehicle after it has been damaged, whether it was your fault or not, a diminished value appraisal can help you know the right price to sell it for. The appraiser will examine the vehicle carefully, noting the extent of the damage and the quality of any repairs you’ve had done. Additionally, they take into account any customizations or restorations on the vehicle. When you know what the car is truly worth, you can price it so that it will sell more quickly.
If you already have an appraisal in-hand, you may be able to move the selling process along more quickly as well. Your buyers may want an appraisal of their own, but they may be okay with examining yours. They can also get a Carfax report to find out about the damage done to the vehicles. You also have to tell potential buyers about any accident damage you had repaired if they ask.
Now, if your plan is to keep the car, a diminished value appraisal can also be helpful. That is because you can reduce your premiums for your insurance policy because the car is worth less. You can lower the amount of money that you cover your car for.
The appraiser will look at it carefully for damage to the frame, unibody, panel replacements, etc. This information and the final repair invoice from the repair shop are all important documents to have.
A diminished appraisal makes a lot of sense in a variety of circumstances. If you plan on keeping, selling, or getting compensation for damage done to your vehicle, then a diminished appraisal is the way to go.