Question 1

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 2

When should I order DV vs Platinum?

Accepted Answer

They solve different problems. Diminished Value ($199.95) is for a vehicle that has been repaired after a collision. It quantifies the post-repair market-value loss that the at-fault driver's carrier is liable for. Includes a pre-addressed Carrier Demand Letter and is backed by our $600 Money-Back Guarantee. Order DV when the repair is complete and you want to recover the residual loss in market value. Platinum ($149.95) is for a pre-loss FMV dispute — total-loss valuation, ACV disagreement, appraisal-clause escalation. It is the Gold valuation plus expert review, document bundle, and appraisal-clause language. Order Platinum when the carrier is undervaluing the vehicle BEFORE the repair-vs-total-loss decision (or when you need the formal appraisal instrument). If you have both situations — totaled OR repaired but also dealing with a low ACV — order Platinum first to establish the pre-loss FMV, then DV if the vehicle ends up repaired and you want the residual-loss recovery.

Question 3

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 4

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 5

Will you write the demand letter for me?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Both Diminished Value and Platinum reports include written instruments ready to send. Diminished Value Report ($199.95) includes a pre-addressed Carrier Demand Letter built around your specific report's evidence. The letter identifies the at-fault driver's insurance carrier (you provide the carrier name + claim number + adjuster name in the wizard), states the documented diminished value figure, cites the supporting comparable sales, and sets a 14-day reply window. You sign it, send it (email or certified mail), and follow up if the carrier ignores or short-pays. Platinum Report ($149.95) includes the appraisal-clause invocation language ready to insert into your written response to the carrier. This is the contractual instrument that triggers the formal dispute-resolution process under your auto policy — it is the move you make when the demand letter alone does not close the gap. What we do not include: legal representation. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice. If the carrier engages in bad faith, the dispute heads to litigation, or you need a state-specific legal theory beyond the appraisal clause, you should retain a property-damage attorney in your jurisdiction. The VVA report serves as the underlying evidence; the attorney provides the legal strategy.

Question 6

What if my car was totaled? Do you handle that?

Accepted Answer

Yes — through our Gold and Platinum tiers, which both establish the pre-loss actual cash value (ACV) using the same comparable-sales methodology the carrier uses. For a total-loss claim, the dispute is almost always over the ACV. If the carrier's ACV is too low, you accept less money than the vehicle was actually worth. The fix is to bring an independent ACV valuation built from verified comparable sales — that's exactly what a Gold or Platinum report provides. Order Gold if you need a defensible second-opinion number to anchor the negotiation. Order Platinum if you've already exchanged at least one round of counter-offers and the gap is still material — Platinum adds expert review, the document bundle (CarFax/KBB/AutoCheck/JD Power), and the appraisal-clause invocation language. We don't currently offer a standalone Total Loss product as a separate SKU, but the Gold and Platinum reports cover the same comparable-sales evidence path that any Total Loss appraisal would use. A separate Total Loss Report is on our roadmap — drop your email there to be notified when it launches.

GET YOUR TOTAL LOSS PLATINUM REPORT

Get started — tell us about your vehicle

What You Get for $149.95

Best Used For

Total Loss Disputes

Severe Undervaluation

Attorney Representation

High-Value Vehicles

Escalated Negotiations

Why It Works

Delivery Time

Real Results from Real People

$18,000+ Combined Savings

Endorsed by Experienced Attorneys and Public Insurance Adjusters

Jeff Weinstein

Robert McDorman

Auto Claim Specialists

Total Loss Platinum report — common questions