First Party Claims: A First-Party claim or dispute is between you and your selected insurance carrier. If your car is damaged, you will file a claim, and the insurance company will either pay to repair the damages or pay you for the cost of your vehicle if it is Totaled. First-Party claims are by far the most common and are typically the simplest to navigate. 

Pros: Because you have a contract with your insurance carrier, you have certain rights, most notably the Appraisal Clause. This means if you do not agree with the value offered by the insurance company, you have the right to dispute that value in accordance with the guidelines detailed in your insurance policy. 

Cons: In First-Party claims, a deductible will typically apply (determined by your selected insurance coverage), and the value of your vehicle may be affected by coverage limits selected in your policy. It is always highly advisable to consult with your insurance agent to ensure that the policy selected is correct for your vehicle.

Policies can also vary drastically between insurance companies. Do your research prior to selecting an insurance company/policy. Once your vehicle is damaged it will be too late!  

Where Auto Appraise Comes In:

In this case of a First-Party Claim, we can help you navigate every step of the way. We will first appraise your vehicle to determine if you have a good case for an increased settlement. Once we have confirmed that we can reasonably expect to net you a profit, you will “invoke your Appraisal Clause”.

This will require your Insurer to also appoint an auto appraiser, and the two auto appraisers will attempt to negotiate a settlement value. If they cannot, a third-party Umpire will be selected to make the final determination. In a First-Party dispute, we will work as your agent throughout the process, handle the negotiations, and will accept the final settlement on your behalf. 

Third-Party Claims: A Third-Party claim or dispute is between you and the insurance company of the at-fault driver. If your vehicle is hit by someone else, you may choose to file against their insurance company instead of your own. This is not as common, mainly because you do not have a contract with their company that affords you the right of the Appraisal Clause. Third-party claims are most often filed in instances where you (the driver filing a claim) does not have auto insurance. 

Pros: No deductible, and there are no policy limits to consider. 

Cons: No contract means no rights. 

Where Auto Appraise Comes In:

Because you do not have the right to the Appraisal Clause, Auto Appraise serves as an “independent opinion” only. Insurance adjusters will sometimes even recommend that the third-party submits an auto appraisal by an independent auto appraiser.

In this case, we would provide our auto appraisal directly to you; you would then submit our auto appraisal to the insurance company, and you would handle all of the negotiations and settlement. We cannot provide this service for you in a Third-Party Claim.