Diminished Value Calculator
A repaired car with an accident on its record is worth less than the same car without one. Use this free 17c-style estimator to see roughly how much value your vehicle may have lost — then, if it's worth pursuing, we'll help you document and recover it.
Free · property damage · under 2 minutes
Diminished value estimator
Estimate your car’s resale-value loss after an accident using a 17c-style screening formula. You’ll see the number before contact info.
Question 1 of 3
Vehicle value
What was the car worth before the crash?
Use a rough pre-accident market value from KBB, comparable listings, or the insurer’s number.
How the 17c Formula Works
Insurers lean on a shortcut called the 17c formula to put a number on diminished value. It is worth understanding exactly how it builds that number — because the result is usually a floor, not a fair measure of what your car actually lost.
What your car was worth right before the wreck
×The 17c "base loss of value" — a flat 10% ceiling
×25% (minor) up to 100% (severe/structural)
×100% (low miles) down to 0% (100k+ miles)
| Minor | 0.25 |
| Moderate | 0.50 |
| Major | 0.75 |
| Severe / structural | 1.00 |
| 0 – 19,999 mi | 1.00 |
| 20,000 – 39,999 mi | 0.80 |
| 40,000 – 59,999 mi | 0.60 |
| 60,000 – 79,999 mi | 0.40 |
| 80,000 – 99,999 mi | 0.20 |
| 100,000+ mi | 0.00 |
Notice what the formula does: it caps your loss at 10% before it even starts, then shrinks it further for mileage and severity. That is the insurer's convenience, not your car's real market loss. A documented claim replaces 17c with comparable sales — what your specific year, make, model, trim, and mileage actually sell for with and without an accident on the record — which usually supports a higher, defensible number. See how diminished value claims work.
How this estimate works
This calculator uses the 17c formula insurers commonly apply: it starts with 10% of your vehicle's pre-loss value as a cap, then reduces that figure for mileage and the severity of the damage. It's a fast screening number — useful for a gut check, but not the figure a documented claim is built on.
Why the real number is usually higher
The 17c cap is built for the insurer's convenience, not your car's actual market loss. A real diminished value claim replaces the formula with comparable sales — what your specific make, model, year, mileage, and trim actually sell for, with and without accident history. That comparison routinely supports a larger, defensible figure. See how diminished value claims work and how to file one.
If the estimate looks meaningful, connect it to the broader vehicle-value claim: our Denver property damage lawyer page explains how diminished value, total loss, repair disputes, and rental/loss-of-use issues fit together.
Talk to us about your claim
If your vehicle was wrecked through no fault of your own — especially a newer or more valuable car — the diminished value piece is often worth a closer look. Call (720) 432-7032, use the calculator above to send your details, or take our free case qualifier. No fee unless we recover.
Related property damage resources
- Denver property damage lawyer — the full vehicle-claim picture.
- Total loss claims — when the insurer says the car is totaled.
- Repair disputes — when the shop estimate and insurance estimate do not match.
- Vehicle valuation — how to check whether the number reflects the market.