If you’ve been in a car accident in Oregon or Washington and the other driver was at fault, the insurance company might have paid to repair your vehicle—but that doesn’t mean you were fully compensated. Even after repairs, your car is now worth less on the market simply because it has an accident history.
This loss in value is called “diminished value”
Even after professional repairs, your car is worth less than it was before the accident. That’s because buyers—and insurers—see it as a damaged vehicle. A diminished value claim helps you recover that loss.
You may be eligible if:
Your vehicle was in a no-fault accident
It was repaired and now shows on Carfax
The insurer didn’t offer additional compensation for lost value
Here are common signs that your vehicle may be worth more than the insurer is offering—don’t settle without checking.
You Were Not at Fault
Your Vehicle Was Repaired After the Accident
Your Vehicle Had a Clean Title Prior To The Accident
You Are Still Within The Legal Timeframe To File
If you are still unsure, fill out the form below and we can provide you with a free assessment outlining your options.
Nico Nix is an independent auto appraiser with deep roots in the car community and a lifelong passion for vehicles.
Nico grew up surrounded by the appraisal business—his father owns Leverage Auto Appraisals in Oregon, and his brother runs Diminished Value of Oregon. For the Nix family, helping drivers fight for fair value isn’t just a business—it’s a family tradition.
From weekends spent in the garage to classic car shows and local meetups, Nico’s journey has always revolved around cars. Today, he brings that same enthusiasm and deep industry knowledge to every diminished value and total loss appraisal he delivers.
When you work with Nico, you’re not getting a generic report—you’re getting insight from someone who lives and breathes cars, and who fights to make sure your vehicle’s true worth is recognized.
We combine expert appraisals, fast turnaround, and personal service to help you recover the full value your vehicle lost—quickly and professionally.
We serve drivers in all 50 states
100% independent third-party appraisals
Reports accepted by most major insurers
Fast support and no upselling
Proven success with thousands in recovered value
See how drivers recovered thousands more with our professional diminished value appraisals. Real stories. Real results. Proven impact on low insurance offers.
Insurer Offer: $800
Final Settlement: $3,950
+393% over the original offer
Insurer Offer: $1,200
Final Settlement: $4,100
+242% over the original offer
Insurer Offer: $900
Final Settlement: $3,600
+300% over the original offer
Our Auto appraisals are not computer generated. Our appraisals are created by a professional appraiser that incudes the followinf:
A professional diminished value appraisal
Market data to support your claim
Support for submitting your claim
Demand letter guidance to ensure it is created and submitted accurately
Transparent flat fee pricing
Posted on Google Eileen OseraTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Nico earned me an extra $3500 after his fee. So worth it. Only took about 1.5 weeks (I think due to slow responses from insurance). So happy with the outcome. Quick and painless.Posted on Google Anthony VuongTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I received a lowball total loss offer and wasn't sure what to do. When I first reached out to Nico he responded after business hours. That told me everything about how he operates. Nico is a lifesaver. He saved me from an enormous amount of stress and handled the entire appraisal process professionally from start to finish, securing a settlement over 20% above the original offer. His flat $550 fee with a money back guarantee made it a no brainer. Genuine, knowledgeable and transparent throughout. No percentage fees, no surprises, exactly as advertised. There are good people out there and Nico is definitely one of them. If your insurance company lowballs your total loss settlement contact Nico before accepting anything. Highly recommend Total Loss Northwest.Posted on Google Blake LongtinTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I should have hired Nico sooner. I fought insurance on my own for over a month and got them to come up $147. In 2-3 weeks Nico got me another $13,915. Trust the process. It was hard to hand off the negotiations to a third party but I’m so glad I did. Best money I ever spent, and on top of that, he got insurance to refund me for his services as well!!!Posted on Google Gage GoschTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Niko is a great guy and helped me get around 2k more when progressive tried to low ball me. Great communication and got the job donePosted on Google Edwin KrupaTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Nico is the man. I had a 2022 BMW M3—fully loaded with every factory option (MSRP $103k) plus over $15k in modifications. After just 4 months of ownership and only about 1,000 miles, the car was declared a total loss. My insurance company initially lowballed me by well over $10,000. Nico took my case right away and assured me he would make things right. Within a week of sending over all my car’s details, he secured an offer I couldn’t be happier with—he essentially got me back what I originally paid for the car. I couldn’t be more satisfied with the outcome. Nico is extremely knowledgeable, easy to reach, and kept me updated throughout the entire process. Hopefully I never have to go through something like this again, but if I do, I know exactly who to call. I highly recommend Nico and his company to anyone in a similar situation. This was a tricky car to options impact the value on these cars dramatically and my insurance did not know that but once Nico stepped him he made sure they did.Posted on Google David HrudzkoTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I hired Nico as a private estimator after my wife got in an accident and our car was totaled Insurance low balled me with their offer and completely started to ignore me From the first phone call, Nico made things super easy And most important of all he was able to get the insurance to pay me the amount my car was actually valued at I highly recommend himPosted on Google TimTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Within a week and a half after first contacting Total Loss NW my claim was revised and I was getting thousands more then the insurance company tried to pay me.Posted on Google K JTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Nico did an AMAZING job for me! The insurance company lowballed me on my total loss, comparing my vehicle to completely different ones for the pay out. I ended up getting about 10,500 more in the total loss payout with Nicos help! Dont hesitate, its a 100% gaurantee and WELL worth it.Posted on Google Jennifer Anderson-WigginsTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Nico is so amazing!! USAA was only going to give our son 4300 for his 2009 Escalade. I was so upset and googled appraisers to fight our insurance. Nico answered the phone. Said he charges 550 but guaranteed if he did not get us at least 5300 ( a 1000 more) he would refund us our fee. He went to work immediately. He got us 12,258 plus our fee refunded by USAA. We could not be happier!! Thank you Thank you Nico! ❤️❤️Posted on Google Ty TavarezTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I ran into a bind with my insurance undercutting The value of my diesel ram. I almost took their claim until somebody introduced me to Nico. Literally gave him the paperwork and he took everything from there got back way more than they offered smooth communicated took pride in his work! Highly recommend
Answers to common questions about our appraisal process, pricing, and results—straightforward and easy to understand.
A diminished value claim lets you recover the loss in market value your vehicle suffers after an accident, even after repairs are made.
If your car was damaged in an accident you didn’t cause, and it has been repaired, you may be eligible—especially if the vehicle is newer or has low mileage.
Every case is different, but many drivers recover hundreds or even thousands of dollars depending on the vehicle, damage, and local market.
Yes—most insurers will review a professionally written, independent appraisal when you submit it with your demand.
We typically provide a full diminished value report within 1–2 business days after receiving your vehicle info.
Find out how much value your vehicle may have lost after an accident—at no cost. Each estimate is professionally reviewed, not computer-generated, for accuracy you can trust.
Helping drivers across the U.S. get fair value after an accident—one claim at a time.