Older Vehicles Can Have Diminished Value, Can’t They?

April 30, 2013By Justin Petty No Comments

do older vehicles have diminished value
Are you joking?  YES!

Seriously, I sometimes get the feeling that some people just don’t understand how life works, and that causes them difficulty in discerning ordinarily easy facts to observe.  Our mission statement at the office is “We are here to prove that paying attention to details and doing the right thing is the key to success in business and in life.”  I understand that we can always argue semantics about what is the right thing, but this article should at least demonstrate some of how I think as well as shed some light on how to determine whether an older vehicle has any lost value due to a collision and repair that is worth pursuing.

I assume if you found my blog, you don’t need a definition of inherent lost market value, so, let’s take an older car example and go with it. . .

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How To Sue The Insurance Company Over A Wreck

September 15, 2012By Justin Petty No Comments

how to sue

I truly cannot tell you how many times a claimant threatened to sue the company when I was adjusting insurance claims.  All insurance adjuster learn pretty early on that a person will have a hard time trying to sue someone else’s insurance company for bad claims handling, so never was I ever worried when a third-party claimant threatened suit.  In fact, I hoped that they tried so they would learn a lesson.  Just the fact that they threatened it made it known to me that they had no clue how to fight with me.

Now that I am a private claims consultant, it is still one of the most common questions I get from individuals who are upset about the way they are being treated by an insurance company.  If you’ve found this article by searching the internet for “How to sue an insurance company” or some variation, then you are who I am trying to reach.  Please continue reading, the following information is 100% true.

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Diminished Value – Fact or Faked? 7 Things to Look for in a Diminished Value Report

December 9, 2010By Justin Petty 3 Comments


diminished value factsIs automobile diminished value a fact? If so, then how does one prove the exact diminished value? Is there anything fake about diminished value?


In almost every successful recovery, an expert report on diminished value is required. As an expert in diminished value, my research indicates that diminished value exists in almost every case where a vehicle has been wrecked and then repaired. Generally speaking, the lesser the value of the car is before the wreck, the lesser the diminished value is after repairs, but not always. There are many factors that should be evaluated in order to properly determine the amount of diminished value suffered by a vehicle.
 

Here are seven things you can look for to see if the report from your diminished value expert is based in fact, or if it is faked! (more…)

Will that accident affect your insurance rate?

April 22, 2010By Justin Petty No Comments

So one of the most common questions I get is related to how an accident will affect insurance premiums.

If you are worried about this, then you are correct in doing so.  The answer as to how much your rate will increase is specific to the insurance company that provides your coverage.  For example, if you watch TV you’ll see advertisements from more than one insurance company that now offer “accident forgiveness”, or something of the sort.  In my opinion, this is a great marketing technique, but I would want to know how much it would have cost me to have an accident before “accident forgiveness” and then whether there is a charge to get “accident forgiveness” on your policy.  Without having those answers, how can one determine if the offer is a deal or a dud?

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Year In Review – 2009

January 6, 2010By Justin Petty 2 Comments

Well, it is now 2010.  Is the world gonna end in 2012 like the Mayan calendar implies?  If it does, I hope that the next two years are as fruitful as 2009.  During 2009 my family ventured into the world of business management and ownership.  It has been hard, but rewarding.  We have been able to help quite a few individuals successfully negotiate an equitable settlement in their insurance claims.  We have helped clients who had plumbing leaks that were denied multiple times by their insurance company, but Petty Details, LLC got involved and their claim was paid within 20 business days.  We have helped individuals recover as much as $5000.00 on diminished value, and we have forced many insurance companies and individuals to live up to their responsibility and do the right thing.  All in all, 2009 was a great year. 

In 2010, we hope that our name becomes more recognizable within the diminished value and claims auditing industries.  We strive to treat our customers and clients like people.  We will go out of our way to let common sense rule the day.  Politics have no place in our office and reason rules.  If it is the right thing to do, we do it.  Follow us as we grow larger and share more of our successes.  If you are a friend or family, remember that we are here if you happen to be unfortunate enough to be involved in a catastrophe, auto accident or any type of insurance claim that is causing you grief.  If you’re not a friend or family, become one!  Call us or drop us an e-mail if you have a question or just want to get some information about insurance or automobile damages.

Make the best of your 2010, we will!

Difficult Adjusters and Lawsuits

November 24, 2009By Justin Petty No Comments

packs-a-punch3

As a former liability adjuster, I cannot count the times that an individual threatened a lawsuit in an attempt to get more money.

I would like to make the point that adjusters are calloused to the threat of a lawsuit.  Many times, the adjuster’s ignorance is the reason they do not respond.  It is rare for an adjuster to actually be involved in the negotiation of an actual suit, so they never get real experience and hardly ever actually hear or see what the staff attorney or hired attorney does to get the suit settled.  Threatening a suit is rarely useful unless the threat is clearly credible.

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