SecondAppraisal

Licensed, independent, verifiable

Independent total-loss vehicle appraisals

An independent appraisal is the evidence that answers your insurer's valuation on its own terms. Here is exactly what that means, what you receive, and when it is worth doing.

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An appraisal is a proceeding, not a PDF

The word “appraisal” gets used for two different things, and conflating them is how people end up disappointed. One is a document: a valuation of your vehicle, researched and defensible. The other is a process: the appraisal clause in your policy, in which each side appoints an appraiser and a neutral umpire resolves what they cannot.

The document is what makes your position arguable. The process is what obligates your insurer to engage with it. A report alone does not compel anyone to move — which is why we treat the research as the beginning rather than the deliverable.

What the appraisal research contains

This is the evidentiary core. It is built to be handed to an adjuster, an appraiser, or an umpire and survive scrutiny line by line.

  • A researched valuation of your specific vehicle — your trim, mileage, options, and condition, not a segment average.

  • Genuine comparable listings with sources, so every number in the report can be checked rather than taken on faith.

  • A line-by-line audit of the insurer's report — each comparable it chose and each adjustment it applied, with the ones that do not hold up identified and quantified.

  • The delta, stated plainly — what the vehicle is worth against what you were offered, and where the difference comes from.

How the appointed-appraiser process runs

If your claim goes to the appraisal clause, we serve as your appointed appraiser. That means we invoke the clause on your behalf, present your valuation, negotiate directly with the insurer's appraiser, and participate in umpire selection if the two of us do not converge.

Appraiser-to-appraiser is a materially different conversation than policyholder-to-adjuster. Both sides are arguing valuation methodology to someone who does it professionally, and “that is our system's number” stops being a sufficient answer.

When an independent appraisal is worth it

It is worth it when the gap is real and large enough to justify the effort — which is a question you should not have to pay to answer. That is why the consultation and the review of your insurer's offer are free: we look at your valuation report first and tell you whether there is anything there.

If we take the engagement, our service is $199 for the appraisal research plus up to 2 hours of appointed-appraiser work at $149/hour. You pay nothing unless we recover at least $1,000 more than the initial offer, and our average is $3,260 more.

If the offer is already reasonable, we tell you that. It is the cheaper answer for both of us.

Licensed, and verifiable without taking our word for it

Appraiser licensing is state-specific, and in several states an unlicensed appraiser can compromise your position under the appraisal clause. We hold active credentials and publish them, because the right response to a credential claim on a website is to check it with the state.

Frequently asked questions

What does an independent vehicle appraiser actually do?
An independent appraiser establishes what your vehicle was worth, independent of the insurer's valuation vendor, and can then act as your appointed appraiser under your policy's appraisal clause. That combines two roles: producing defensible evidence of value, and representing that value directly to the insurer's own appraiser.
How is this different from the insurer's valuation report?
The insurer's report comes from a vendor it pays — CCC, Mitchell, or Audatex — and applies standardized downward condition adjustments to comparables, usually with no inspection of your vehicle behind them. An independent appraisal is researched for your specific car and is accountable to you, and it audits the insurer's report rather than starting from it.
How long does a total-loss appraisal take?
The research itself is a matter of days once we have your insurer's valuation report and your vehicle details. If the claim proceeds through the appraisal clause, the overall timeline depends on the insurer's appraiser and, where one is needed, umpire scheduling — that part is not fully within our control, and we would rather say so than quote you a number we cannot hold.
Do I need an appraiser licensed in my state?
In several states, yes — appraiser licensing is regulated, and working with an unlicensed appraiser can undermine your position under the appraisal clause. We hold active credentials and publish them publicly so you can verify them through the state's own license lookup before engaging us.
What if my insurer refuses to negotiate?
That is precisely the situation the appraisal clause exists for. Once invoked, the insurer is contractually required to participate: it appoints its appraiser, we present your valuation, and unresolved disagreement goes to a neutral umpire whose decision binds both sides on the amount of loss.

Where to go next

Our licenses and credentialsEvery state where we hold an active license, verifiable with the state.Full pricingWhat the research costs, what appointed-appraiser work costs, and the guarantee.Your rights in a total-loss claimWhat actual cash value obligates and what you can demand.Who can help challenge a valuationThe options — including the ones that are not us.

Free review first

Start with the free consultation

Your consultation and offer review are free. If we agree to be your appraiser, our service is $199 for the appraisal research plus up to 2 hours of appointed-appraiser work at $149/hour.

Free appraisal consultation — and you pay nothing unless we get you at least $1,000 more. Our average is $3,260 more.No upfront payment — we pre-authorize your card only after reviewing your consultation and agreeing to take the engagement.

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The minimum guarantee is a full service-fee waiver when an accepted engagement does not deliver the minimum additional value over the insurer's initial offer. Results vary. See terms.