Your Insurance Company Is Lowballing You — And Counting On You Not to Fight Back

Let's be blunt: when your vehicle is declared a total loss, the insurance company's goal is not to make you whole. Their goal is to settle your claim as quickly and cheaply as possible.

That first offer you receive? It was generated by automated valuation software — systems that pull comparable vehicles from distant markets, ignore your vehicle's actual condition and options, and spit out a number that protects the insurer's bottom line.

The Dirty Secret of CCC ONE and Mitchell Reports

Most insurers use valuation platforms like CCC ONE or Mitchell to calculate your vehicle's "Actual Cash Value" (ACV). These tools have a well-documented history of undervaluing vehicles by selecting:

• Comparables from different geographic markets where prices are lower
• Vehicles with higher mileage or inferior trim levels
• Condition adjustments that discount your vehicle's true state

A 2017 study of thousands of total loss claims found that automated valuations underpriced vehicles by an average of $1,300 to $4,800.

You Have the Right to Dispute

Every standard auto insurance policy in the United States includes an appraisal clause — a provision that allows you to challenge the insurer's valuation. Under this clause, you can hire an independent appraiser to assess your vehicle's true market value.

If the two appraisers disagree, a neutral umpire is called in to resolve the dispute.

What This Means for You

You don't have to accept the first offer. You don't have to accept the second offer. You have legal recourse — and it starts with getting a professional, independent appraisal that reflects what your vehicle was actually worth in your local market.

RIZQ provides independent vehicle appraisals for total loss disputes. We use real comparable sales, not software-generated guesses. We document everything. And we know how to make a case that holds up.

Don't sign that settlement. Call us first.