Question 1

What is the Appraisal Clause in my auto insurance policy, and what does it do?

Accepted Answer

Almost every personal auto policy contains an Appraisal Clause. It is the contractual remedy you and your carrier agreed to in advance for disputes over the *amount* of your loss — not over whether the loss is covered. Each side hires a competent appraiser; the two appraisers select an umpire; the appraisers state separately what they believe the actual cash value and the amount of loss to be, and a decision agreed to by any two of the three is binding.

As Robert L. McDorman writes, *"The spirit of the Appraisal Clause is to resolve loss disputes fairly and to do so in a timely and cost-effective manner… by unbiased, experienced and independent third-party appraisers as opposed to more costly and time-consuming methods, such as mediation, arbitration and litigation."*

Question 2

What's the difference between Gold and Platinum if both use the same algorithm?

Accepted Answer

Both Gold and Platinum use the same valuation algorithm against the same 10 million+ comparable-sales database. The valuation number itself is computed identically. Platinum adds three things Gold does not include: 1. Expert review. Every Platinum report is reviewed before delivery for vehicle-specific edge cases the algorithm cannot weigh: documented prior-accident history, low-production-run trims, optioned-up packages that affect comp selection, and ZIP-band thinness that calls for a wider geographic pull. Same-business-day if ordered before 5pm CT. 2. The document bundle. Platinum includes the CarFax + KBB + AutoCheck + JD Power values in a single PDF, formatted to attach to your demand letter or appraisal-clause invocation. 3. Appraisal-clause language. The Platinum report includes the contractual language to invoke the appraisal clause in your auto policy. If the carrier short-pays and refuses to move, you have the formal instrument ready to send. Buy Gold when you need a defensible second-opinion number to start the conversation. Buy Platinum when you have already exchanged at least one round of counter-offers and the gap is still material — you are preparing to formally dispute.

Question 3

How do I use my report in an appraisal clause negotiation?

Accepted Answer

Five operational steps: 1. Demand in writing. Email the adjuster with the VVA report attached and state the specific gap between their offer and your evidence. Cite three to five specific comparable sales from the report by ZIP, sale month, and effective price. Ask the adjuster to move to your number or invoke the appraisal clause. 2. Wait the response window. Most carriers respond within 10-14 business days. If they ignore the demand, follow up in writing and calendar a deadline. 3. Invoke the clause formally. Send the carrier the appraisal-clause invocation language (included in your Platinum or DV report) in writing — typically email plus certified mail. Name your independent appraiser (you select — typically $300-$700). Demand the carrier name theirs within the policy's specified window (often 20 days). 4. Umpire selection. Your appraiser and the carrier's appraiser jointly select an umpire. If they cannot agree, your policy may specify a fallback (e.g., court appointment). Document every communication — carrier appraisers occasionally stall umpire selection as a delay tactic. 5. Binding decision. The two appraisers state separately what they believe the actual cash value (or diminished value) to be. Any two of the three (your appraiser, the carrier's appraiser, the umpire) agreeing on a number sets the binding value. The carrier must pay. The appraisal clause is contractual, usually faster than litigation, and the VVA report is the underlying comparable-sales evidence both appraisers will work from.

Question 4

What does "comparable sales" actually mean?

Accepted Answer

Comparable sales are verified, completed transactions of vehicles similar to yours — not asking prices, not auction listings, not "for sale" advertisements. The distinction matters because asking prices and listings systematically overstate market value (sellers ask high; buyers negotiate down). Completed transactions reflect what buyers actually paid. For VVA's reports, a "comparable" must match your vehicle on year, make, model, and (where available) trim. The algorithm pulls comps from your specific ZIP code first, then progressively widens geography (county → state → region) if the local market is thin. Each comp shows: vehicle year/make/model/trim, mileage, sale ZIP, sale month, and the effective sale price after standard adjustments. The algorithm filters the top ~3% of outliers using percentile-based filtering (to avoid noise from anomalous high-priced sales), then ranks by effective price. The comps you see on your report are the same comps used in the valuation — no hidden math, no proprietary score adjusting the final number behind the scenes. The carrier-side software (CCC, Mitchell, Audatex) uses the same underlying concept but lets the carrier control which comps to include and how to adjust them. Our methodology is transparent: every comp is auditable by both sides.

Question 5

Why should I use VVA instead of just KBB, Edmunds, or NADA?

Accepted Answer

KBB, Edmunds, and NADA are retail pricing guides. They estimate what a dealer might list your vehicle for, or what a private buyer might pay in an average week. They are not built for the dispute you are in. When a carrier values your total loss, they do not use KBB. They use CCC, Mitchell, or Audatex — carrier-side valuation software that pulls from a comparable-sales database, applies condition and projected-sold adjustments, and produces a number the adjuster can defend in writing. Your counter has to be built from the same evidence base. VVA pulls from 10 million+ verified comparable sales (real, documented transactions, not listings) and produces a report in the same evidentiary format the carrier's software produces — comps shown, adjustments shown, every line auditable. The difference is that the inputs are set in your favor, not the carrier's, and every input is visible to both sides. Use a retail guide before you list your car for sale on Facebook Marketplace. Use VVA when there is an offer on the table you do not agree with.

Question 6

How is VVA different from CCC, Mitchell, and Audatex?

Accepted Answer

CCC, Mitchell, and Audatex are the three carrier-side market valuation vendors. They produce the "market valuation report" your adjuster cites when they hand you a settlement offer. The technical methodology — comparable sales, mileage adjustments, condition factors — sounds identical to ours. The difference is who controls the inputs. The vendors let the carrier set inputs that swing the final number significantly: how many comparables to include, the geographic radius for comp selection, the condition rating applied to your specific vehicle, the projected-sold adjustment factor (the assumed haggle discount off the listing price), and which adjustments apply to your trim vs the comps' trims. VVA's inputs are set in the policyholder's favor and, more importantly, are visible to both sides. Comps shown, ZIP-band shown, mileage adjustments shown, outlier filter shown (we drop the top ~3% as outliers and rank by effective price — the comps you see are the comps used in the calculation, with no second layer of hidden math). The carrier's adjuster can verify every line, which is what makes the report defensible under the appraisal clause. Request the carrier's full market valuation report — you have a right to it. Then compare it line-by-line against your VVA report. The gap is your negotiating leverage.

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