SecondAppraisal

Estate valuation

What was the vehicle worth on the date of death?

Settling an estate means putting a value on everything in it, and a vehicle is often the largest item after the house. Executors need a figure for the inventory, heirs need one to divide fairly or decide whether to sell, and an estate tax filing needs one that holds up. Appraisal Research gives you a documented market value as of the date of death, with every comparable we used shown in the report.

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$199 flat per vehicle · charged only on delivery · no insurance claim needed

Effective date

Date of death

Estate values are generally measured as of the date of death, not the day someone finally gets around to the paperwork. Enter the date and the report records it as the effective date for the matter. Our comparables come from the market as it exists when we do the research, and the report says so plainly rather than pretending otherwise — so if the two dates are far apart, your attorney or accountant knows exactly what they are looking at.

What Appraisal Research is — and what it is not

Every purchase includes

  • A written Appraisal Research report (PDF) stating our opinion of the vehicle's market value and how we reached it.
  • Every comparable vehicle we used — source, listing date, mileage, and the adjustments we made — so anyone reading the report can check the work.
  • The effective date your proceeding uses (date of death, date of separation, or petition date) recorded in the report, with a plain statement of how it relates to the research date.
  • Your VIN decoded to the exact trim and factory options, so the comparables match the vehicle you actually have.
  • Delivery within 24 hours of the point where we have the vehicle details and photos we need.

It does not include

  • No negotiation. Nobody at SecondAppraisal contacts an insurer, a court, a trustee, or the other party on your behalf as part of this purchase.
  • No physical inspection. This is desk research built from your VIN, mileage, photos, and documents, plus the live market of comparable vehicles.
  • No guarantee of acceptance. Whether a court, trustee, attorney, insurer, or anyone else relies on the figure is their decision.
  • No legal or tax advice. Your attorney, executor, or accountant decides how the report fits your filing.

Who uses an estate valuation

  • Executors and administrators

    A documented value for the estate inventory and accounting, so the number you file is one you can explain if anyone asks how you got it.

  • Heirs dividing property

    When one person keeps the car and others take cash or other assets, an independent figure keeps the split from becoming an argument.

  • Estate and inheritance tax filings

    A date-of-death market value with its supporting comparables, ready for your accountant or attorney to attach to the return.

  • Deciding whether to sell

    Know what the vehicle is actually worth before a dealer or a buyer tells you — and before you accept a trade-in offer on behalf of the estate.

How it works

  1. 1

    Tell us about the vehicle

    Plate or VIN, mileage, condition, and why you need the value. If your proceeding has an effective date, enter it — about three minutes.

  2. 2

    Authorize $199

    A $199 hold goes on your card. It is charged only when the research is delivered — nothing before.

  3. 3

    We research the market

    We decode the VIN to its exact trim, pull comparable vehicles from the actual market, adjust for mileage, options, and condition, and document every source.

  4. 4

    Your report arrives

    Within 24 hours of us having what we need, you get a PDF you can hand to an executor, attorney, trustee, or the other party.

Research only

$199 flat, charged when the report is delivered

One vehicle, one written report, every comparable shown. Your card is authorized when you order and charged only when the research is delivered. Nobody negotiates on your behalf, nobody inspects the vehicle, and whether a court, trustee, attorney, or other party relies on the figure is their decision.

Start estate Appraisal ResearchSee full pricing

Appraisal Research is an independent opinion of market value, not a guarantee of any outcome. The $1,000-minimum guarantee applies only to our insurance appraisal-clause service and does not apply to a research-only purchase. See terms.

Frequently asked questions

The death was months ago. Does the report value the vehicle as of that date?
The report records the date of death as the effective date for the matter and states our opinion of market value based on comparable vehicles offered for sale at the time we research. It does not adjust for market movement between the two dates, and it says so in its Effective Date of Value section, so nobody reading it is misled. For most vehicles a few months apart makes little difference; if your date is much older, mention it to your attorney or accountant before you order.
What if I do not have the title or registration handy?
The plate or VIN is enough to start. We decode the VIN to the exact trim and options; the title is not needed for the research itself. Mileage matters more — a photo of the odometer is ideal.
How much does Appraisal Research cost?
$199, flat, per vehicle. Your card is authorized when you order and charged only when the report is delivered. There is no negotiation fee and no percentage — this product does not include negotiation at all.
Do I need an insurance claim or a valuation report from an insurer?
No. Appraisal Research for an estate, divorce, or bankruptcy has nothing to do with an insurance claim. You only need the vehicle's plate or VIN, its mileage, a few photos, and the reason you need the value.
Is this a certified or court-ordered appraisal?
No. Appraisal Research is our independent, documented opinion of the vehicle's market value. We show every comparable and every adjustment so an executor, attorney, trustee, or judge can check the work — but whether any of them relies on it is their decision, and we cannot guarantee that they will.
Do you inspect the vehicle in person?
No. This is desk research. We work from the VIN, the mileage you report, the photos you upload, and any service records you have, plus the live market of comparable vehicles. If your proceeding requires an in-person inspection, tell us before you order and we will say so plainly rather than sell you the wrong thing.
How long does it take?
24 hours from the point where we have the vehicle details and photos we need. If we are missing something, we ask once and the clock restarts when it arrives.
Is Appraisal Research available in my state?
In most states, yes. A few states require an appraiser license we do not hold, and we do not sell research there. The intake asks for your state before anything else and tells you right away if we cannot help, so you never authorize a fee for something we cannot deliver.
What if I later end up in an insurance total-loss dispute on the same vehicle?
Appraisal Research and our total-loss appraisal-clause service are separate products. The research report is yours to keep and use; if you later need us to negotiate a total-loss settlement with your own insurer, that is a different engagement with its own terms and fee.

Where to go next

Divorce / marital propertyAn independent vehicle value neither side has to take on faithBankruptcyA vehicle value you can put on the schedules and stand behindAppraisal ResearchA documented vehicle value, for whatever needs oneInsurance total loss instead?If an insurer has declared your vehicle a total loss, our appraisal-clause service negotiates the settlement for you — a different product with a different fee.