Diminished Value claims in Texas
Texas drivers have 2 years to file a DV claim.
The clock starts on the date of loss — not the date repairs finish. Bring verified comparable-sales evidence to the at-fault driver's carrier and recover the market-value loss your vehicle took.
Endorsed by Ask The Expert™ and Robert L. McDorman, Expert Public Insurance Adjuster. Backed by 10+ years of settlement data and verified market comparables.
Check your Texas filing deadline
Enter the date of your accident below. We'll show your exact 2-year statute-of-limitations deadline and how many days remain.
Texas DV claim facts
Statute of limitations
2 years from date of loss
Measured from the date of loss under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003. Filing the claim in writing with the carrier generally tolls the clock; check with an attorney before relying on tolling.
First-party DV
Limited — depends on policy
Third-party DV (at-fault carrier)
Yes — widely recognized
UM/UIM coverage
Optional — check policy
Small-claims max
$20,000
Total-loss threshold
Total Loss Formula (repair + salvage ≥ ACV)
Statute citation: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003 (2-year SOL for property damage)
Why this matters in Texas
Texas is one of the strongest states for third-party diminished value recovery. There is no fixed formula for DV in Texas — each carrier handles claims differently, and most settle low unless the claimant brings well-sourced comparable-sales evidence. The statute of limitations is two years from the date of loss. Texas SB 458, effective January 1 2026, mandates that every personal auto policy include a structured Appraisal Clause covering loss disputes (including repair-procedure disputes that some carriers had previously excluded). This is a meaningful expansion of consumer leverage: even when the carrier short-pays on a DV claim, you now have a contractual dispute path that does not require litigation. The Joseph Wayne Collins v. State Farm verdict in 2023 (approximately $277K total judgment on an under-indemnified total-loss claim plus unfair-practices penalty) signaled to Texas insurers that bad-faith handling of total-loss claims carries real consequences and helped drive SB 458 through the legislature. For DV specifically, document the date of loss, gather the repair invoice, and order a VVA DV Report to anchor the negotiation with the at-fault carrier. The included Carrier Demand Letter is pre-addressed and ready to send.
The Only Diminished Value Report With a Money-Back Guarantee
No competitor offers this. We're so confident in our methodology that if your DV report shows less than $600 in pre-accident value loss, your $199.95 is fully refunded — and the $49.95 Document Bundle is on us too.
Backed by 10+ years of settlement data and verified market comparables.
The fine print
We guarantee that your Diminished Value Report will have a greater than $600 loss in pre-accident Actual Cash Value, or we will refund your card the FULL $199.95 purchase price. If you also purchased the Document Bundle for greater support. We will also refund this $49.95 in the event your recorded Diminished Value is less than $600.00. If you disagree with anything on the report you can contact support@vehiclevalueanalysis.com with your concerns.
Texas DV claim FAQ
State-specific answers plus universal DV questions. See the full FAQ for the complete 70+ entries.
States with similar filing deadlines
State legal information on this page is general guidance only and may be subject to retroactive verification. Verification status: Verified (DVAC, last reviewed 2026-05-16). See the legal disclaimer for full verification details.