Tool
Free diminished value calculator
Enter your vehicle’s approximate pre-accident value and how severe the damage was for an instant, rough estimate of its diminished value. Add the mileage to see what the insurer’s 17c formula would give for the same car. It is a starting point for deciding whether a claim is worth pursuing, not a formal appraisal, and not a figure to send to an insurer.
What the estimate can and can’t do
A real diminished-value figure comes from the market: what comparable vehicles with and without accident history actually sell for. That depends on the make and model, mileage, trim, where the damage was, how well it was repaired, and your local market. No formula captures all of that.
Use this number to judge whether a claim is worth your time. If the estimate is meaningful relative to the appraisal fee, a free claim review will tell you whether a full appraisal is likely to help. Send it from the form under the calculator, and your figures go with it.
What the vehicle would have sold for just before the accident.
Rough estimate
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Not an appraisal. Real value depends on comparables, repair quality, mileage and history. A typical Autoloss report costs $250–$350.
Enter a value and the damage level to see an estimate. Then send it for a free claim review: we tell you whether an appraisal is likely to help before you pay for one.
Common questions
Is the calculator result what the insurer will pay?
No. It is a rough starting point based on one percentage. Insurers pay based on evidence, negotiation and state law. An appraisal supported by comparable vehicles is the evidence.
What about Georgia’s 17c formula?
Some insurers use a formula often called “17c,” which caps the loss at 10% of the vehicle’s value and then reduces it with damage and mileage multipliers. It tends to produce low figures. It is an insurer method, not a legal requirement, and a market-based appraisal does not use it.
Why doesn’t the repair cost change the estimate?
Repair cost is one sign of how serious the damage was, but market value loss depends more on the type of damage, especially structural or frame work, and on the vehicle itself. If you send the estimate for a free claim review, the repair cost goes with it, and the appraisal looks at the actual repair records.
Is this the Kelley Blue Book or NADA diminished value calculator?
No. Kelley Blue Book and J.D. Power (NADA) publish vehicle values, which can help you fill in the pre-accident value, but neither is the source of this estimate. Autoloss is independent and not affiliated with either.