Diminished Value Claim Deadline

The clock usually starts on the date of loss

In most states the statute-of-limitations clock starts running on the date of the accident, not the date repairs were completed and not the date you discovered the diminished value. That makes the deadline easy to underestimate if you spent months negotiating with the carrier before realizing the post-repair value loss.

Filing a written claim with the at-fault driver's carrier or filing suit in court generally tolls (stops) the SOL clock under most state statutes. The specific tolling rules vary, and some states have shorter sub-limits for specific claim framings (breach-of-contract vs. negligence framings of the same loss). When you are close to the limit, get the report and the demand letter on the carrier's desk — and confirm the exact deadline with a property-damage attorney licensed in your state.

If the at-fault driver was uninsured or underinsured and your own UM/UIM coverage applies, the deadline may also be governed by your own carrier's contractual notice provisions, which can be shorter than the statutory SOL.