Diminished Value Calculator

After a car accident, even perfectly repaired vehicles lose market value. Insurance companies owe you compensation for this "diminished value." Estimate what you're owed — free, anonymous, no VIN required.

Free & Anonymous

Estimate Your Diminished Value

Vehicle Information

Year Model year of your vehicle

Make Manufacturer

Model Model name

Pre-Accident Value ($) NADA or Edmunds retail value before the accident. Check NADA or Edmunds

Current Mileage Odometer reading at time of accident

Accident State State where the accident occurred — determines your legal rights

Damage Assessment

Severe Frame/unibody damage, airbags deployed Major Major panel replacement, structural components affected Moderate Moderate panel damage, no structural damage Minor Cosmetic only, bolt-on parts replaced None No structural damage, replaced panels only

Accident Date Used to check your state's statute of limitations

What Is Diminished Value?

Diminished value is the loss in your vehicle's market value after an accident, even after it's been perfectly repaired. When you try to sell or trade in a car with an accident history, buyers will pay less — even if the repairs were flawless.

There are three types of diminished value:

Inherent diminished value — the automatic stigma of an accident history. This is the most common claim and what our calculator estimates.
Repair-related diminished value — loss due to substandard repairs, mismatched paint, or aftermarket parts.
Immediate diminished value — the difference in resale value immediately after an accident, before repairs. Rarely claimed.

The 17c Formula — How Insurance Companies Calculate DV

Most insurers use the 17c formula, which originated from State Farm v. Mabry (Georgia, 2001). It's named after paragraph 17, subsection (c) of a class action settlement covering 25,000+ State Farm policyholders.

The formula is simple but heavily insurer-friendly:

Take 10% of your pre-accident vehicle value (the "base cap")
Multiply by a damage severity multiplier (0.00 to 1.00)
Multiply by a mileage multiplier (0.00 to 1.00)

Important: The 17c formula is widely criticized for undervaluing claims. Independent appraisals commonly find 2–4× the 17c estimate. The 10% cap is arbitrary with no market-data basis. If your vehicle has over 100K miles, 17c gives $0 — but market data shows high-mileage cars do lose value after accidents.

Your Rights by State

Diminished value laws vary significantly by state. Some states (like Georgia) strongly protect your right to claim DV from your own insurance. Others restrict you to filing against the at-fault driver. A few states effectively block DV claims almost entirely. Select your state above to see your specific rights and deadlines.

Browse all 50 states' diminished value rules →