Travelers totaled your Chevrolet Equinox in Montana? Here is the vehicle-specific playbook

Equinox depreciation runs slightly faster than the compact-SUV segment average (55-60% over 5 years versus 50-55%) due to fleet-volume oversupply on base LS / LT trims. RS and Premier trims hold residuals stronger. The 2025 redesign (4th generation) plus the introduction of the Equinox EV created two parallel pricing curves; cross-classification mistakes are increasingly common.

The RS trim adds sport-tuned suspension, larger wheels, and a black-out appearance package worth $1,500-$2,500 over equivalent LT comparables. Premier's leather, heated/ventilated front seats, and panoramic moonroof add $2,000-$3,000. The Equinox EV (introduced 2024) is a completely separate vehicle and should never be cross-matched.

Fleet-vehicle comparables (former rental, former corporate fleet) are routinely lumped into retail comparable sets, understating retail ACV by $1,500-$2,500. Demand retail-only comparables and exclude any with fleet-vehicle title markers.

1. Request the full Audatex Autosource report from Travelers. Email or mail your Travelers adjuster a written request for the full Audatex Autosource valuation report — not just the summary letter. Travelers is required to provide this on request.
2. Audit the report line by line. Verify the year/make/model/trim/mileage of every comparable, then check each adjustment (mileage, condition, equipment, typical-negotiation discount) against Audatex Autosource's published methodology. Most disputes hide here.
3. Pull current local-market comparable listings. Search current dealer listings within 50-100 miles of your zip for matching year/make/model/trim. Document asking prices, listing dates, mileage, and trim levels. This is your counter-evidence.
4. Draft a written counter-valuation. Build a one-page counter that itemizes every error in the Travelers report and substitutes your locally-sourced comparables. Reference the policy's appraisal clause as a backstop.
5. Send the counter to your Travelers adjuster. Deliver the counter in writing with a clear 5-7 business-day deadline for an itemized response. Verbal counters are rarely effective.
6. Escalate to a supervisor if rejected. If the response is non-substantive — or arrives without itemized justification for each adjustment — escalate to a supervisor and demand a full itemized review.
7. Invoke the appraisal clause. If the supervisor doesn't move materially, invoke your policy's appraisal clause in writing. Each side picks an appraiser, the two appraisers select an umpire, and the resulting valuation is binding on the question of value.

Is my Chevrolet Equinox a total loss in Montana according to Travelers?

Travelers declares your Chevrolet Equinox a total loss when repair cost (plus salvage value, depending on Montana's threshold method) meets the statutory threshold. The threshold is the trigger; the dollar amount you receive afterward is the dispute.

How does Travelers calculate the ACV on my Chevrolet Equinox?

Travelers uses Audatex Autosource, which pulls comparable listings within a search radius of your zip code and applies condition, mileage, and equipment adjustments. The methodology has well-documented patterns of understating Chevrolet Equinox value — see the depreciation note and options-trap sections above.

Can I demand an independent appraisal on my Chevrolet Equinox settlement?

Yes. Your Travelers policy contains an appraisal clause that lets either party demand a binding independent appraisal when you can't agree on the vehicle's actual cash value. Montana's appraisal-clause posture supports this right.

What's the average increase SecondAppraisal recovers on a Chevrolet Equinox dispute?

Across all vehicle types, SecondAppraisal clients average $3,260 in additional settlement. Chevrolet Equinox disputes specifically benefit from the depreciation, options, and Travelers-error leverage points documented on this page.