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State law · UT
Utah's Supreme Court has long allowed a car owner suing the at-fault driver to prove the drop in market value, including value still lost after reasonable repairs (Metcalf v. Mellen, 1920). That case is old and no modern Utah appellate ruling on diminished value was found. Whether your own insurer must pay diminished value is unsettled in Utah.
Claim against the at-fault driver
Allowed by case law
Claim against your own insurer
Unsettled
Time limit to sue for property damage
3 years
Insurance regulator
Reviewed by Monica Fisher, Owner, Licensed Auto Appraiser and Court Expert Witness — appraisal perspective, not legal advice
Last reviewed
Utah law
Third-party claim
Allowed by case law
In Metcalf v. Mellen the Utah Supreme Court approved a jury instruction letting jurors consider both reasonable repair cost and any depreciation in market value after reasonable repairs, noting repairs may not restore a car's value. No later Utah appellate decision overruling or applying it to modern DV claims was found.
First-party claim
Unsettled
No Utah appellate decision, statute, or Insurance Department bulletin was found on whether collision or comprehensive coverage must pay diminished value. The answer likely turns on the policy wording.
Case law
Utah Supreme Court · 1920
57 Utah 44, 192 P. 676 (1920)
Approved an instruction that, in fixing the before/after market-value difference, the jury may consider reasonable repair cost and any depreciation in market value remaining after reasonable repairs.
Status: treatment unclear: Very old; no negative history found, but citators were not checked.
Utah Code § 78B-2-305(1)(a)(ii): Three-year limitation
An action for taking, detaining, or injuring personal property must be brought within three years.
Utah Code § 78B-2-309(1)(b): Six-year limitation on written contracts
Actions on a contract founded on a written instrument may be brought within six years; policies may contain their own limits.
Utah Code § 31A-22-304(2): Motor vehicle liability minimum limits
Policies issued or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2025 must carry at least $30,000/$65,000 bodily injury and $25,000 property damage (or $90,000 single limit).
Utah Code § 78B-5-818: Comparative negligence
A claimant's own fault does not alone bar recovery; they may recover from defendants whose combined fault exceeds theirs, reduced by their share.
Researched September 30, 2026. General information from an appraisal perspective, not legal advice.
Autoloss in UT
We serve Utah from your repair order, photos and records, the same way we serve every state. A typical diminished-value appraisal is $250–$350, typically 24–48 hours after all required information is received.
Allowed by case law. In Metcalf v. Mellen the Utah Supreme Court approved a jury instruction letting jurors consider both reasonable repair cost and any depreciation in market value after reasonable repairs, noting repairs may not restore a car's value. No later Utah appellate decision overruling or applying it to modern DV claims was found.
Unsettled. No Utah appellate decision, statute, or Insurance Department bulletin was found on whether collision or comprehensive coverage must pay diminished value. The answer likely turns on the policy wording.
Utah generally allows 3 years to sue for vehicle property damage (Utah Code § 78B-2-305(1)(a)(ii)). Talking with the insurer does not pause the deadline, so check it early.
Put your dispute in writing and support it with evidence, such as an independent appraisal. If the insurer still does not respond, you can file a complaint with the Utah Insurance Department. Insurers, arbitrators and courts make their own decisions. An appraisal is evidence supporting your claim, not a promise of payment.
A typical diminished-value appraisal is $250–$350, typically 24–48 hours after all required information is received. The claim review is free: we look at your situation and tell you whether an appraisal is likely to help. The appraisal itself is a paid report.
Not normally. Our appraisers prepare the report from your repair order, photographs and records, the same way we serve every state.
Other states
The claim review is free: we look at your situation and tell you whether an appraisal is likely to help. The appraisal itself is a paid report. We help from start to finish, including a custom demand letter, and our support staff is a phone call away throughout the process.
