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Trusted Since 1951

Three generations of South Florida collision repair, built on factory standards and backed by a lifetime warranty.
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Diminished Value Claims & Appraisals in Miramar, FL

After an accident, your car is worth less, even when the repair is flawless. Chassis Master documents your diminished value so you can claim that money back from the at-fault driver’s insurer.

  • The accident was not your fault
  • Your car was repaired, not totaled
  • It happened within the last few years
Request an Inspection Call (954) 985-0900
Allowed Under Florida LawFlorida generally lets you pursue a third-party diminished value claim against the at-fault driver’s insurer.
You Get a Written AppraisalA documented report of what your car lost, the evidence an adjuster cannot wave away.
OEM-Certified RepairsCertified by eleven manufacturers and restored to factory specification.
Repairing Since 1951Trusted across South Florida for more than 70 years.
Diminished Value Explained

What Is Diminished Value?

Diminished value is the resale and trade-in value a vehicle loses simply because it has been in an accident. The repair can be perfect and the loss is still real, because buyers and dealers pay less for a car that shows an accident on its history report. When the wreck was not your fault, that lost value is a cost you did not cause, and Florida lets you pursue it from the at-fault driver’s insurer. The hard part is proving the number, and that is where a documented appraisal and an honest inspection make the difference.

Why Cars Lose Value After an Accident

Even a flawless repair cannot erase the accident from your vehicle’s history, and that record alone lowers what a buyer or dealer will pay. This is the largest part of most claims.

Diminished Value From a Poor Repair

When a previous shop cut corners, the car loses extra value for the poor work itself. A post-repair inspection finds and documents it.

How Diminished Value Is Calculated

Most insurers lean on the 17c formula, the basis of the diminished value calculators you find online. It caps the base loss at 10 percent of value and shrinks it for mileage and damage, so it almost always underpays.

Diminished Value Appraisal

We document your vehicle’s pre-loss value, the damage, and the market hit in a written appraisal you can put in front of an adjuster.

Post-Repair Inspection

Bring a vehicle repaired anywhere. We inspect the work and document the quality or safety issues that add to your loss.

Repaired Right, Then Documented

As an OEM-certified shop, we fix it to factory spec, so the only value left on the table is market-based, not poor-repair-based.

Why Chassis Master

The Insurer Is Hoping You Let It Go

A diminished value claim costs the insurance company money, so the process is built to be quiet and discouraging. The first offer, if there is one, is usually based on the 17c formula and lands far below the real loss. Some drivers are told outright that they are not entitled to anything. Most never file at all, because they do not know the value is owed to them or cannot prove what it is.

An insurer’s first diminished value offer is built to be declined quietly. Ours is built to be documented.

Chassis Master has repaired South Florida’s cars since 1976, and we are certified by eleven manufacturers. That matters here for two reasons. First, when we handle the repair, we restore the vehicle to factory specification, so an insurer cannot blame leftover value loss on sloppy work. Second, we know what a proper repair looks like, which means we can inspect a car fixed at another shop and document exactly where it falls short. You get a clear, written record of what your vehicle lost, not a guess. We are not attorneys and we do not file the claim for you, but we give your claim something solid to stand on.

How it works

How a Diminished Value Claim Works

1

Tell Us What Happened

Bring your vehicle, the accident details, and any repair paperwork. Walk in Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, or schedule a time in Miramar.

2

Inspect and Document

We photograph the vehicle, review the repair, and note anything that affects its value, whether we repaired it or another shop did.

3

Appraise the Loss

You get a written diminished value appraisal: pre-loss value, the accident’s effect, and the number that supports your claim.

4

Make Your Claim

You submit the appraisal to the at-fault driver’s insurer. We are not attorneys, but our documentation gives the claim real evidence behind it.

Service area

Diminished Value Inspections Across South Florida

Chassis Master serves drivers across Broward County and South Florida, located in Miramar, FL and serving Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, Davie, Cooper City, and Weston. Request an inspection and we will document what your accident actually cost you.

Questions

Diminished Value in Florida, Answered

What is a diminished value claim?
Even after a proper repair, an accident lowers your car’s resale and trade-in value because the history report shows the damage. A diminished value claim seeks that lost value from the at-fault driver’s insurer. It is separate from the cost of the repair itself.
Does Florida allow diminished value claims?
Florida generally recognizes third-party diminished value claims, meaning claims you file against the at-fault driver’s insurer. First-party claims against your own policy depend on your coverage. There is a deadline to file, so it is best not to wait, and an attorney can confirm how the law applies to your specific situation.
How is diminished value calculated?
Most insurers start with the “17c” formula, which caps the loss at 10 percent of the car’s value and reduces it further for mileage and damage. It is a starting point that tends to favor the insurer. A proper appraisal looks at what your specific vehicle actually lost in the current market, which is often a larger and more defensible number.
Can you appraise a car that was repaired somewhere else?
Yes. Bring it in for a post-repair inspection. We document the quality of the work and the value the car lost, regardless of who performed the repair. If the previous shop cut corners, that becomes part of your record.
How much value will my car lose?
It depends on the vehicle’s age and mileage, the severity of the damage, and current demand for your make and model. Newer and higher-demand vehicles tend to lose the most. An appraisal puts a defensible number on your specific car instead of a rough guess.
Do I need a lawyer for a diminished value claim?
Not always. Many drivers file successfully with a solid appraisal and clear repair documentation. If an insurer denies a clearly valid claim, an attorney can help. Either way, we provide the evidence your claim is built on.
Do not leave it on the table

Find Out What the Accident Cost You

If your car was in an accident that was not your fault, it is worth less today than it was last week, and that loss may be owed to you. Florida sets a deadline to file, so the longer you wait, the more you risk losing the claim. Bring it to the certified team that has protected South Florida’s drivers since 1976. We will inspect it, document it, and give you the evidence to claim it.

Request an Inspection

Post-repair inspections welcome, even on vehicles repaired elsewhere. Any insurance accepted.