Beware of Initial Insurance Claim Settlement Offers!

With just 200 miles on the odometer, this 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat was stolen out of the owner’s driveway at 2:30 AM, never to be seen again! Fortunately, he had comprehensive insurance with the “Good Hands” folk! Unfortunately, they wanted to reimburse him just $83,036 for his loss! Luckily, he was familiar with, and decided to invoke, the ‘Appraisal Clause’ in his policy and hired Auto Appraisal Network of South Florida to provide a prior-to-loss fair market value appraisal.

Stolen car, now what? If your vehicle is stolen, you should call the police immediately and then notify your insurer, your lender and your state’s DMV. Almost 900,000 vehicles were reported stolen across the U.S. last year according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), an insurance industry association. Lots of questions! What happens when your car is stolen then found? Who will pay for the damages that happened when the car was not in your custody?

If you are looking for a car appraisal near you, and you are in South East Florida, you've found us! Getting a car appraisal before you buy, sell, or trade a car helps you get a good idea of the vehicle’s value and puts you in a better-informed position to negotiate. Several factors can affect a car’s value, such as your location and what kind of buyer you’re selling to (if you’re selling). Where you go to get your car appraisal could also affect the estimate you receive. Online guides, lenders, car dealers and professional appraisers can all offer car appraisals.

You have just been in an automobile accident and now you are wondering if your vehicle is repairable or if it’s totaled. Your body shop manager says that they are certain they can repair it, but the insurance company says they want to total it! What to do? Who do you believe? What are your options?

The two secrets the auto insurance industry doesn't want you to know are "Appraisal Clause" and "Diminished Value." Almost every auto insurance policy has an Appraisal Clause, giving the policyholder, in the event their vehicle is declared a total loss, the right to an independent appraisal of the prior-to-loss fair market value. Diminished Value is the sudden loss of value because of an accident. If you were not at-fault in the accident, you can make a Diminished Value claim against the at-fault driver's insurance company. Call/text 786-853-0711 with any questions.

Whether it's life, travel or automobile, insurance is the one item we purchase which we hope we never use. But, **** happens! Recently we handled total loss claims on a '90s Land Rover Defender and a 2021 Honda Civic Type R, both with over $10k in recent options and upgrades of which the owners never advised their insurance companies. We were able to settle for more $$$ than the insurance company initially offered, but the >$10k in upgrades was not covered! Yes, they saved a few $$ on the insurance premium, but lost thousands in the settlement. Don't be penny wise and dollar foolish! If you have invested in upgrades on your vehicle, advise your insurance company in writing!

If your Porsche has been in an accident, whether it has been declared a total loss, or is repairable, by having a Prior-to-total loss Fair Market Value, or a Diminished Value appraisal, you will almost certainly have a higher cash settlement than the insurance company is initially willing to pay. Applies to all vehicles, not just Porsches!

Has your vehicle been declared a total loss because of a fire? If your insurance company wants to settle for less than what you believe it's worth, invoke the Appraisal Clause in your policy, and get it appraised! Call/text 786-853-0711

If your Jaguar has been in an auto accident, there are two possible outcomes: declared a Total Loss, or repaired and back on the road. Either way, you should be aware of the auto insurance industry's two biggest kept secrets: Appraisal Clause and Diminished Value. Do an internet search of both terms, and learn how you can receive a greater settlement than the insurance company is willing to pay. Call/text: 786-853-0711

If you have tried to obtain a financing loan on a vehicle, say, 10 or more years old, you may have found that the lending institution won't do so without a current fair market value appraisal. In addition to financing, we provide diminished value and prior-to-total loss appraisals. Call/text 786-853-0711 for more info.