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Diminished Value Calculator
Estimate your 17c diminished value in under a minute. This is the insurer's opening anchor — independent appraisals typically recover 1.5×–4× this figure.
17c Diminished Value Calculator
The 17c formula is the industry-standard starting point used by State Farm, GEICO, and most adjusters. Real recoveries are usually higher — this gives you the insurer's anchor.
How the 17c formula works
The 17c formula gets its name from a 2001 Georgia court order (Mabry v. State Farm, paragraph 17, subsection c). State Farm adopted it, the rest of the industry followed, and today it is the default starting point on most diminished value offers nationwide:
- Start with the vehicle's pre-loss ACV.
- Cap at 10% (the "base loss of value").
- Multiply by a damage severity modifier (0–1.00).
- Multiply by a mileage modifier (0–1.00).
The 10% cap is the catch — even a frame-damaged luxury car cannot exceed 10% of its pre-loss value under pure 17c. Real-market diminished value routinely runs 15–35% on structural and unibody damage. That gap is where independent appraisal recovers thousands.
When to file a diminished value claim
- The other driver was at fault and has liability coverage.
- Your vehicle was repaired (not totaled) but has accident history.
- The car is recent-model and otherwise clean-title.
- You are within your state's statute of limitations (usually 2–6 years).
Read the full method in our 17c diminished value guide or jump straight to our diminished value service.