Reviewing a totaled-car valuation: check the vehicle facts

Questions covered in this guide

Ask for the valuation basis

The Texas Department of Insurance advises asking which valuation source the insurer used and documenting comparable vehicles or special features. That provides a starting point for a factual review. Your goal is to identify a specific mismatch or missing item, not to assume that the original purchase price or remaining loan establishes the settlement amount.

Check the described car first

Compare the report’s VIN, model, trim, mileage and listed equipment with your records. Mark each discrepancy and attach the document that supports the correction. Separate factory equipment from later modifications and ask how each is treated. Keep an unchanged copy of the original report so you can tell whether a later version actually fixes the items you raised.

Organize comparisons carefully

For any market examples you submit, record the date, location, vehicle details and whether the amount is an asking price or a completed sale you can substantiate. Note meaningful differences instead of choosing only the highest listing. Put each proposed correction beside its evidence and ask the adjuster to explain the response. The insurer’s valuation method and applicable rules still need to be confirmed.

Keep valuation and the next decision separate

Request a revised written explanation when facts change. Record unresolved valuation questions separately from questions about keeping the vehicle, title status, rental arrangements or the loan. Those issues can affect your choices but do not turn one number into another. Use the coverage tool for policy notes; it cannot appraise a car or predict a settlement. If the disagreement remains, ask the insurer and state insurance department about the available review process before treating an informal estimate as a final determination. Print your worksheet before leaving the page if you want to keep it.

Putting it into practice

The report audit starts with vehicle facts and preserves versions. Market examples are labeled by date and asking-versus-completed status, keeping valuation separate from financing and salvage decisions.

Sources and supported claims

TDI advises asking the insurer which source it used to value a totaled car.
Source ↗ · state · Checked 2026-10-12

TDI suggests documenting comparable vehicles and special features when questioning the valuation.
Source ↗ · state · Checked 2026-10-12