SSettleWorth

Free · neutral · no sign-up

Diminished Value Claim Calculator — what your car lost after the accident

Estimate how much resale value your car lost simply because it was in an accident — even after perfect repairs. SettleWorth uses the widely used 17c formula and adjusts for your state's rules.

Updated June 2026 Method: 17c formula No sign-up · no data sold

What this estimates. Diminished value is the gap between what your car was worth before the crash and its lower market value after repair — money you can often claim from the at-fault driver's insurer. This is a property-damage tool, not an injury tool: it values your car, not your injuries. Use it as a diminished value calculator to estimate your car's lost value after an accident, even on a vehicle that looks fully repaired. See also: For injury losses from the same crash, use the car accident settlement calculator or the truck accident settlement calculator.

Real data

Where the 17c diminished value formula comes from

The 17c formula is not science — it is a courtroom shortcut. It comes from State Farm Mutual Automobile Ins. Co. v. Mabry, a 2001 Georgia Supreme Court case where 25,000+ drivers claimed lost resale value after repairs. To handle the class at scale, the court adopted a generic formula capped at 10% of the car's value. Insurers now apply it as a default — which is exactly why first offers are often low.

Origin of 17c
2001
State Farm v. Mabry, Georgia Supreme Court
17c base cap
10%
Of pre-accident value, before damage & mileage multipliers
Class size
25,000+
Claimants in the original Mabry class action

Source: State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Mabry, Supreme Court of Georgia (2001). The 17c formula is an insurer estimate, not a binding valuation, and first offers are frequently below a car's true lost value — use the calculator above and consider an independent appraisal.

The method

How the 17c diminished value formula works

Start from 10% of your car's value, then apply a damage multiplier and a mileage multiplier.

Base value cap

Start with 10% of your car's pre-accident market value (KBB/NADA).

$30K → $3,000 cap

Damage multiplier

0.00–1.00 for severity — structural damage scores high.

×0.75 structural

Mileage multiplier

Higher mileage means less diminished value.

×0.80 low miles

Estimated DV

Cap × damage × mileage = your claim estimate.

≈ $1,800

Appraisal

An independent appraisal supports a higher figure if the insurer lowballs.

Recommended

Adjust for your state

Diminished value by state

Eligibility and how insurers handle 17c vary by state — check before you file.

Strong DV states

Case law clearly supports diminished value, e.g. Georgia.

Standard states

Third-party DV claims are accepted but insurers push back; an appraisal helps.

Restrictive states

Some states limit recovery or first-party DV; check before filing.

17c is an estimate

Insurers recognize 17c but are not bound by it; negotiation matters.

See the state-specific calculator and average data:

CaliforniaGeorgiaFloridaVirginiaTexas+ all 50 states

Questions

Diminished value claim FAQ

A standard method: 10% of pre-accident value × a damage multiplier × a mileage multiplier. It is an estimate insurers recognize, not a guaranteed payout.

Often yes — from the at-fault driver's insurer, because a repaired car with an accident history still sells for less.

Usually it is a third-party claim against the at-fault driver; first-party claims depend on your policy and state.

Pre-accident value (KBB/NADA), repair invoices, and an independent appraisal if needed.

Newer, higher-value, low-mileage cars with structural or frame damage lose the most.

Get your personalized estimate

Run the numbers for your own case in under a minute — no contact details, no obligation, just an honest range.

Open the calculator