Washington Total Loss Appraisal Clause Disputes

Call Now for a Free Claim Review – 503.567.8900 Email: leveragepdx@gmail.com

In the aftermath of a car accident or in cases of theft, flood, Stolen vehicle or other unforeseen events, your vehicle might be declared a total loss by your insurance company. This term typically implies that repair costs are either equivalent to or surpass the vehicle’s retail market value. At Leverage Auto Appraisals, we believe you deserve the full retail market value for your car, inclusive of any relevant Tax, Title, and Licensing Fees, especially in Washington where you have the legal right to dispute the insurance company’s offer if it seems unjustifiably low.

The key lies in the appraisal clause of your full coverage policy. This provision enables you to hire an independent auto appraiser, like Ken Nix, a certified expert in Washington, to challenge what might seem like a lowball valuation from your insurer. If your insurance policy includes an appraisal provision, it typically follows these steps:

Obtain an auto appraisal (at your expense).
Your insurance company conducts its own appraisal (at its expense).
Should there be a disagreement on the vehicle’s value, both appraisers select an umpire. The costs for the umpire are split equally between you and the insurance company.

At Leverage Auto Appraisals, we stand by your side in these critical moments. Whether your car has been involved in an accident, suffered damage from a storm, or been stolen, we provide a thorough, unbiased auto appraisal to ensure you receive a fair valuation. This is particularly crucial when the cost of repairs approaches or exceeds your vehicle’s market value.

In summary, don’t settle for less. If you’re facing a total loss situation in Washington and want to dispute the insurance company’s offer, rely on Leverage Auto Appraisals for accurate, reliable, and fair auto appraisal services. Your vehicle’s true car value or vehicle value should always reflect its worth in the market, and we’re here to make sure that happens.

Washington

Our all-inclusive auto appraisal service provides everything you need to determine the cash value of your vehicle. With us you can have peace of mind and confidence in your claim. Other companies may claim to be the best auto appraisers in the Pacific Northwest, but we don’t work for insurance companies like they do. Haven’t you already dealt with enough misdirection and manipulation from your insurance company?

Is there an auto appraiser near me? I cover all of Washington, specializing in helping consumers with Washington total loss insurance claims as an Washington Certified Auto Appraiser since 2010.
Washington Total Loss Laws. Unfortunately, Insurance companies in Washington do not have to reimburse you for the cost of the total loss appraisal. Although, normally since you get an increase in your taxes with an increase in the value, this normally will cover at least part of the cost of the appraisal.
How can I negotiate with car insurance adjusters for my car’s total loss. YOU DON’T HAVE TO. Under your policy’s appraisal clause, you’re allowed to hire a vehicle appraiser and he can negotiate the claim for you.
How much more can I get? My average increase this year, is $5,768.19 or 44.78 percent of the vehicle’s value. .
When’s the best time to invoke my appraisal clause? The sooner the better. Ken has over a decade of experience working appraisal clause claims. Many insurance companies are known to give claimants a list of things to do if they want a higher value. Most of the times, this is just a ploy to get you to waste time while your vehicle goes down in value, so they can gain an even bigger advantage.

We Can Help! We specialize in Washington Total loss Insurance claim disputes. If your vehicle has been declared a total loss and your insurance company is not providing a fair offer, and you need help, we can provide… LEVERAGE to get the value you should be receiving. Don’t go it alone, our Licensed Auto Appraiser, Ken Nix, can help you recover your full value by producing an appraisal under the appraisal clause of your insurance policy and negotiations with your insurance company.

Excellent

Leverage Auto Appraisals |Total Loss Appraiser

4.9

Based on 124 reviews

Connor

Great working with Ken! Very professional and knowledgeable. Did an excellent job explaining the whole process. Can’t recommend him enough.

Response from the owner: Thanks for giving me the idea to put together a video to explain the process better to clients. And, thank you again for choosing me as your auto appraiser! - Ken

David Winkler

I had a total loss claim on a vehicle with a rebuilt title. After receiving what I perceived to be a low offer, I hired Ken based on the great reviews and was not disappointed. Ken helped negotiate on our behalf and was able to raise the appraised value by more than 20%. He was also very informative and helpful walking me through the process. I would highly recommend Leverage Auto Appraisals to others in a similar situation.

Response from the owner: Thank you, David! I really appreciate you taking the time to write a review. Makes me feel good to be able to get the extra $3,300 you should have been offered to begin with. It's crazy how low some of these valuations have been recently. I was reviewing my records this morning, and out of 84 claims I've settled in the past few months, only 18 had increases of less than $3,000. This should never happen. Before the pandemic, only about 20-30% of the appraisal clause claims I worked on saw increases over $3,000. Now it's reverse???? Something really weird is going on in my opinion.

Andrew M

Reached out because my insurance provided me low offer on a total loss and I was not willing to settle. Everyone kept telling me to research and request a new offer based on all of the information I gathered. It makes no sense to do all this work when leverage Auto appraisals can do all of that work and has an established working relationship with insurance companies where he knows what information to provide to get the end result his clients are looking for. After it was all said and done they were able to get an offer within a very close amount of what I was looking for. I hope I never have to use their service again but if I will I certainly will come back to this company. Thank you again for your guidance and your hard work. Now if only I can find my wife another car like the one she lost.

jake patterson

Ken was awesome! He went above and beyond and was able to get more than double the value I was offered by my insurance company. Really understood the value of my vehicle as it was a rare car! He was also very quick and helped reached a settlement quickly! Would highly recommend and strongly advise hiring if the value of your vehicle is in question.

Response from the owner: Thank you for the awesome review! I’m glad we were able to secure a **$6,955 increase** on your **2003 Lexus IS 300** claim with **State Farm**, bringing your total settlement to **$11,900**—a **140.6% increase** over their original lowball offer of **$4,945**. Rare and unique vehicles are often undervalued because insurers rely on flawed automated systems that fail to recognize their true market worth. I make it a priority to research and present accurate valuations so my clients get what they actually deserve. I'm also happy we were able to reach a fair settlement quickly! Additionally, per **Oregon law OAR 836-080-0240**, **State Farm was required to reimburse you 100% of our appraisal fee**, meaning you not only secured a significantly higher payout but also had your appraisal costs fully covered. I truly appreciate your recommendation, and if you ever need help in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out. Thanks again for trusting me with your claim! —Ken

Mustafa Ateş

Ken is the man! He is the person, you would like to work with. My insurance company lowballed me and after a Google search, I hired Ken. He negotiated hard with them and raised the price by almost $2000 more. And I was reimbursed by the insurance company, so it was a free service for me. Appreciate your help, Ken.

Response from the owner: Thank you so much Mustafa for your kind words. I really feel we should have gotten more. And is why this took a longer than normal. Out of the last 126 claims I've settled over the past 4 1/2 months, I've only had 19 where the increase was $2,000 or under. The comparable vehicles in the market that were lower priced were impossible to discredit without going out and doing a physical inspection on them. I feel I'm very good at spotting current damages/issues, prior damage and bad repairs on opposing comparable vehicles that an opposing appraiser can come up with. But, when advertisements don't show the issues or the photos are from months previous, it's very hard to discredit their comps. Thank you for your trust, patience and for choosing me as your auto appraiser. - Ken

Andy Davis

Ken knows his stuff. He provided a free telephone consultation during which he essentially promised he would get me a better deal than what the insurance company was offering, and he 100% delivered. Based on how the law works in Oregon, if the appraiser gets you even a nickel more than the insurance company offer, the insurance company has to pay for your appraiser, so Ken's work on my behalf netted me about 25% more than the insurance company offer, and his work didn't cost me a nickel. I would 100% putting your trust in this man.

Response from the owner: Thank you for the kind words Andy. They've definitely made it hard on me lately. So many of these insurance companies are now hirig out of state large appraisal firms that have million dollar contracts with the insurance companies. So few ethical appraisers we're working with now days. Even after I spend hours researching some of their comps and showing why they shouldn't be used, they just change the comps and manipulate them another way. I've been doing this for nearly 15 years professionally, with over 4,000 total loss claims. Up until 3 months ago, I had only had 27 times that an opposing appraiser came in under the Market value from the insurance company. In the last 3 months, I've had 19. that says something about the way they're handling claims lately. I think it's mostly due to the high losses over the past few years, but with some I think it's just a cash grab. Thank you again for taking the time to write a review. I really appreciate it. I just wanted to add one last thing. According to the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation, you can not receive less than the last offer. I've been having a lot of clients tell me their adjusters said that if we came to a determination that the value was less than the last offer, they could actually get less. This is not true. Only in the event there was fraud or something significant such as the mileage was rolled back, etc. could this happen. Ken

Devin Rivera

Can't recommend enough.Was hit by another motorist recently hard enough that my car was totaled. Travelers Insurance tried to low ball me on my total loss claim by 4k.Ken went to bat for me against the new appraiser they hired for the appraisal clause. Ken was able to get me another 2k to help supplement the loss of my vehicle and the cost to get into another one.If your car is totaled and the claim is under what the car is valued by a good amount, don't second guess - hire Ken to represent you.

Response from the owner: Thank you, Devin, for your review and recommendation—I truly appreciate it!Insurance companies often start with a lowball offer, hoping policyholders will accept it without question. In your case, they undervalued your vehicle by about $4,000. While the appraiser they hired out of Texas attempted to minimize the increase using questionable tactics, we still secured an additional $2,000—money that helps bridge the gap to a comparable replacement. Plus, they had to reimburse you 100% for the appraisal.Unfortunately, I’m seeing more insurance companies hiring appraisers who are more focused on limiting increases than providing fair market valuations. Many of these appraisers are out-of-state and unfamiliar with Oregon’s market, yet they determine values that impact local policyholders. Additionally, I’ve noticed several OUT OF STATE companies claiming to be “FAIR” yet they require policyholders to pay a percentage of the increase before finalizing the award—fees that insurance companies don’t reimburse. These tactics put consumers at a disadvantage. They also claim to have reviews, but are no where to be found online, neither is their actual true contact information. Not to mention, they're not licensed to appraise vehicles in Oregon, but certified by a company out of Texas that isn't certified by any government agency.I fight against these practices every day to ensure people like you aren’t shortchanged. I’m grateful you trusted me to handle your claim, and I’m glad we achieved a better outcome. If you ever need help in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out. Thanks again for your review!—Ken

Gabe Ritter

Ken is the absolute best in the business and a pleasure to work with. A true professional and knows his stuff. I highly recommend using him to get you the absolute best price for your total loss vehicle. He knows all the ins and outs of the insurance business. Do yourself a favor and hire him.

Jeremy Bittermann

I was recently involved in an accident which totaled my beloved 100 Series Land Cruiser. I consider myself to be a pretty good negotiator and figured I would be able to get a decent settlement from my insurance company.I was WRONG. It was a gigantic, time-wasting headache. After spending a bunch of time gathering and submitting documentation to prove that their settlement offer was absurdly low they agreed and increased their offer by $500 - ridiculous.At this point I engaged Ken to help. He was a steady hand through the entire process and provided a real education on how this whole dumb system works. In the end he was able to get the offer increased by over $8k (!) which made the final settlement much closer to what the value of the car was.If you find yourself in a similar situation I suggest not wasting your time trying to do it yourself. Just hire Ken. He'll do a great job, take all the guess-work out of it and will almost definitely get you more money.Also, if he gets the insurance company to increase their offer by any amount then they are obligated to reimburse you for Ken's fee!Thanks Ken!

James Dolciamore Voiceover

I was very hesitant to pay for an independent valuation; however, after working with Ken, I am almost too overwhelmed with gratitude to find words for this review. In the end, he surprised us by getting us over $4,000 more on this claim. This was far more than I could have ever hoped for. The only minor frustration for us was trying to reach Ken which was sometimes a struggle, but I must stress he is a one man band and he gives his all for every client. If you need an update, be polite and be persistent. Trust me, he is fighting for you and he usually wins!

So Vaun

Where do I begin and how do I thank Ken? Not many know about a person’s right to have an auto appraiser to negotiate a fair price for your vehicle! If you ever need an appraiser, you must get Ken on your side! We were being lowballed, and they didn’t want to really negotiate.I found Ken Nix, his business “Leverage Auto Appraisal” when he says he’s on your side, he truly is!He got me way more than I could have ever expected. Not only that, what I learned from his expertise, was an eye opener! he explains every step in great detail, and breaks it down so it all makes sense.I hope I never have to go through this again, but if we had to. Ken, you’re the man!Thank you, for your patience, understanding and for answering my many questions and walking me through this.OH! The best part my husband was one satisfied and amazed client!

Response from the owner: Thank you so much, Lavaune! I truly appreciate you taking the time to write a review, and I'm thrilled that both you and your husband were pleased with my services. I'm especially grateful that you mentioned my efforts to explain the process in detail. I always strive to ensure that my clients fully understand each step, even though the process can sometimes take time. Negotiating a claim involves many variables such as whether the insurance company picks a local appraiser, an out-of-area one, or even a large, well-connected company can all impact the timeline and outcome.This job certainly isn't stress-free, and my priority is always to make sure my clients are satisfied. If I worked for the insurance companies, I'd probably earn about $250 more per case on average, and I wouldn’t have to worry as much about public opinion, marketing, negotiating, or selling my appraisal services. But the path I’ve chosen, while challenging, I feel is the right one for me. It is fulfilling because I get to help people who are being taken advantage in most cases, and I’m committed to advocating for my clients and ensuring they know their rights and understand the process. Your recognition of these efforts means the world to me. Thank you again! - Ken

Mario skoro

Ken at Leverage Auto Appraisal was fantastic! State Farm’s initial offer for my totaled car was much lower, but Ken stepped in and got me an additional $2,400 for my 2006 Lexus is350. I would’ve loved to get even more, but that’s no fault of Ken’s—he truly went above and beyond. He was professional, knowledgeable, and made the process easy and stress-free. His stories made the experience enjoyable, too! If you’re dealing with a total loss, don’t settle—reach out to Ken and his team. His fee is reimbursed by the insurance company, so it’s a win-win, and he does all the heavy lifting. Highly recommend!

Response from the owner: Thank you for the kind words Mario. It was a pleasure speaking with you. I hope I didn't bore you too much. I try to provide a very transparent conversation so everyone is on the same page. Thank you again for choosing me as your auto appraiser. - Ken

Oregon Total Loss Vehicle Appraisals

Has your Insurance Company deemed your vehicle a total loss? Are they not offering enough for your totaled car or truck? In your insurance policy, you have what is called an appraisal clause. The appraisal clause section is devised to allow you to dispute the offer your insurance company is providing.

If you do not agree with the value your own company offers, your policy may include an appraisal provision. Appraisal processes vary. Check your policy or ask the claims representative or contact us for help.

Typically:

You get an appraisal (you pay).
The company gets an appraisal (it pays).
If the appraisers don’t agree on the value, the two appraisers agree on an umpire. You and the company each pay half of the umpire’s cost.

The first thing you need to do, is determine if it is a good decision to invoke your appraisal clause. LEVERAGE can help you by providing a free, no charge review of your total loss claim. This will provide you with the information to make a well informed decision as to whether you need to move forward with disputing your claim or not.

LEVERAGE specializes in Total Loss appraisals in Oregon and Washington. Unlike many large companies that use low generic staff to produce and negotiate your claim, with LEVERAGE, you get a highly qualified auto appraiser and negotiator to work with you to negotiate a fair claim so you can replace your vehicle, and move on with your life. Ken Nix works every claim himself to ensure we recover the maximum fair market value for you.

Why Hire Us?

Licensed Auto Appraiser for over 13 Years

Over 35 years Experience as a Professional Negotiator

Over 18 years Automotive sales Experience. Experience with all types of vehicles. Not just an ex estimator or adjuster.

Over 40 years of Automotive Experience

Professionally Trained One on One by Zig Ziglar, Grant Cardone, and Tom Stuker.

Worked with Hundreds of Dealer, GM's, and GSM's in Oregon, Washington and Idaho while employed with Reynolds and Reynolds.

Whether you're in Seattle, Bend, Eugene or Portland, Ken knows you're Used Car Market.

Vehicles We Sevice

We produce total loss appraisals for Acura, Alfa Romeo, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Corvette, Dodge, Ferrari, Fiat, Ford, Freightliner, GMC, Honda, Hummer, Hyundai, Infiniti, International, Isuzu, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Lamborghini, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Maserati, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mercury, Mini-Cooper, Mitsubishi, Oldsmobile, Peterbilt, Plymouth, Pontiac, Porsche, RAM, Rolls Royce, Saab, Saturn, Scion, Shelby, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo.

As well as older Diesel 1 ton and 3/4 ton Trucks with Powerstroke, Cummins, and Duramax Engines. We also provide Sprinter Van, Ram Promaster, VW Camper Vans, and other Conversion Van Total Loss Appraisals.

We also work Total Loss Claim Disputes on other specialty vehicles such as Heavy Trucks, Semi Trucks, Motorcycles, Classic Cars, Muscle Cars, Collectible Vehicles, Exotic Cars, Motor Coaches, Work Vans, Commercial Vehicles, and many more.

WHO IS KEN NIX

Ken Nix is a local Oregon Certified and Licensed Vehicle appraiser since April of 2010 has been authorized by ODOT to appraise vehicles in Oregon for over 12 years.
Ken started in the automotive industry in the 1980s and has sold and appraised tens of thousands of vehicles including late model cars and trucks, Exotics, Muscle Cars, Street Rods, Vintage, Classics, Street Rods, Camper Conversions, and even Japanese right-hand drive vans while working for multiple franchises over 20 years. Ken is the independent appraiser chosen by Ron Tonkin Gran Turismo for independent vehicle assessments.
Previously employed by Diversiform and Reynolds and Reynolds. Ken worked with local Automotive Dealers, Sales, Service and Body shops to market vehicles. Hundreds of Dealership owners, managers, and staff know and trust him. Ken also worked with Lanphere Enterprises, and many other local dealers to provide digital solutions for automotive marketing.
Ken is the founder of Volkswagen Owners Club, My GTI, and Jetta Junkie and was an Administrator for Autoguide.com for over 10 years.
Ken’s wife jokes that sometimes she’s married to Liam Neeson because Ken has a very particular set of skills, skills he’s acquired over a very long career.

OREGON LICENSED AUTO APPRAISER for over 13 years

Ken has actual long term automotive sales, appraisal and negotiation experience. Beware long term businesses with inexperienced vehicle appraisers claiming decades of experience because a relative founded the business. Make sure your automotive appraiser has the real world experience to back up their claims.
Ken’s background in training salespeople on Product Knowledge, combined with auto body repair assessment experience and his computer background provides negotiating leverage over opposing appraisers. The ability to spot bad repairs from prior damage on an opposing appraiser’s comparables to discrediting salt state and flood damaged vehicles used by your insurance company’s valuations from CCC One and Mitchell / J.D. Powers to lowball your vehicle.
Expert Negotiator. Personally trained one on one by Zig Ziglar, Tom Stuker, and Grant Cordone. Over 45 years experience as a professional negotiator.
Ken’s Automotive, Computer Technology, Legal Reseach, and Negotiating background provides a very specific skill set that makes him a nightmare to opposing appraisers.

Recent Total Loss Claim Dispute Recoveries

G. Genauer – Total Loss Dispute
Insurance Company: State Farm

Portland, Oregon
Vehicle: 2014 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI
Offer: $16,174
Settled Value: $20,500
Increase: $4,326.00

S. Mead – Total Loss Dispute
Insurance Company: Geico

Prineville, Oregon
Vehicle: 5th Wheel Toy Hauler 2016 Keystone
Rv M-387 CARBON
Offer: $42,079
Settled Value: $51,700 – May 13, 2022
Increase: $9,621

S. Arkelian – Total Loss Dispute
Insurance Company: Progressive

Portland, Oregon
Vehicle: 2018 RAM 2500 Laramie Crew Diesel 2500
Offer: $59,152.21
Settled Value: $65,625 – May 11, 2022
Increase: $6.472.79

M. Smith – Total Loss Dispute
Insurance Company: Liberty Mutual

Portland, Oregon
Vehicle: 2003 Ford Super Duty F-250 King
Ranch Crew Cab
Offer: $14327.00
Settled Value: $19,995 – May 13, 2022
Increase: $5,668

C. Wilkinson – Total Loss Dispute
Insurance Company: Progressive

Portland, Oregon
Vehicle: 2004 Toyota Tacoma 4 Door Crew Cab
Offer: $22,024.90
Settled Value: $31,500 – May 4, 2022
Increase: $9,475.10

K. Johnson – Total Loss Dispute
Insurance Company: Progressive

Portland, Oregon
Vehicle: 1995 TOYOTA LANDCRUISER
Offer: $20,653.83
Settled Value: $29,500.00
Increase: $8,846.17

LEVERAGE

Auto Appraisals

(503) 420-3001

Location

Portland, OR. 97225

Email

leveragepdx@gmail.com

Open Hours

Mon:8am – 8pm
Tue: 8am – 8pm
Wed: 8am – 8pm
Thur: 8am – 8pm
Fri: 8am – 8pm
Sat: 8am – 8pm
Sun: 8am – 8pm