Every insurance claim comes down to numbers: what the damage will cost to repair, and what the accident did to your car’s value. When you need those numbers on paper, Galen’s provides three kinds of damage appraisal.
Repair estimates for a claim
When you file a claim, your insurance company needs to know what the repair will cost. We write the repair estimate for your claim. It goes through our repair software, so the estimate is complete and honest, and it covers the repairs your car actually needs.
Appraisals when you dispute your insurer’s figure
Sometimes the insurance company’s figure for the damage is lower than the repair will really cost. You don’t have to simply accept it. Many auto policies have an appraisal clause: when you and your insurer can’t agree on the amount of the loss, each side can have the damage appraised independently, and the appraisals settle the difference.
We provide the damage appraisal for that independent appraisal. Check your policy for an appraisal clause and how it works, or ask your insurance company what it requires.
Diminished-value appraisals
Even after a quality repair, a car that’s been in an accident is often worth less than the same car without one, because buyers see its accident history. That loss is called diminished value. If another driver caused the accident, you may be able to claim it from their insurance company, and a diminished-value appraisal documents how much value your car lost.
We provide diminished-value appraisals.
Which one do you need?
- You’re filing a claim and need to know what the repair will cost: a repair estimate.
- You disagree with your insurance company’s figure: an appraisal for an independent appraisal.
- Your car has been repaired but is worth less because of the accident: a diminished-value appraisal.
Not sure which one fits? Call us and tell us what’s happening with your claim, and we’ll talk it through with you.