CALL FOR A FREE TOTAL LOSS APRAISAL CLAUSE CLAIM REVIEW 503-420-3001

CLICK TO CALL - FOR A FREE TOTAL LOSS CLAIM REVIEW 503-420-3001

LEVERAGE

AUTO APPRAISER

Auto Appraiser

We Specialize in Automotive Insurance Total Loss Appraisals and Negotiation.

Is your insurance company Offering an unfair offer that is less than what your totaled vehicle is worth?

We can help! You need a professional on your side that doesn’t work for the insurance companies. You deserve a fair settlement and hiring a Total Loss Auto Appraiser who specializes in Oregon total loss claims is your first step to receiving a Fair Total Loss Settlement.

We Don’t take a percentage and Oregon law guarantees you 100% Reimbursement for the appraisal if we increase the value over their last offer by just 1 cent.

Oregon Certified Vehicle Appraiser #V34-075 • We provide car appraisals for Totaled vehicle Insurance claims, Total Loss Appraisal Clause Disputes, Total Loss Appraisals and negotiation for stolen totaled Trucks and Cars, and other totaled vehicle appraisals.

Recently, many CCC ONE, Mitchell and JD Powers valuations have been coming in as little as 30 percent of the true market value for many Diesel Trucks with the 7.3, Duramax or Cummins engines. That’s what the appraisal clause in your policy is for. It allows you to dispute their lowball valuations.

Call us now for a free Claim Review: 503.420.3001

What is an Appraisal Clause?

An appraisal clause is a contractual process in your auto insurance policy used to settle disputes between insurers and their policyholders when the parties fail to agree on the amount that will be covered by the policy.

If your insurer refuses to provide a fair settlement amount on your vehicle’s loss, you have the option to resolve the issue by going through your insurance policy’s appraisal clause. This prevents insurance companies from taking advantage of you.

If you do not agree on the amount of the loss, you may demand (invoke) an appraisal. In this scenario, each party will choose an independent auto appraiser. In many cases, even their auto appraiser will be higher than the last offer your insurance company made to you. The appraisers will negotiate the value and come to an agreement, or have an umpire make a decision between the two appraisals. I’ve been doing this for over 13 years, and have only had 5 times where we had to go to an Umpire. .

The key to a successful appraisal clause dispute is finding an expert who has the necessary vehicle knowledge and negotiation skills to handle the various aspects of the process. This includes choosing an umpire and negotiating with the other parties involved. Our Oregon Licensed Auto Appraiser, Ken Nix, has been negotiating Oregon Total Loss disputes for over 13 years in Oregon. He’s local, only works for consumers, and isn’t indebted to the insurance companies like many appraisers who rely on them for income.

A few recent Settlements:

Springfield, Oregon. – Increase: $17,757 – 52% increase – State Farm – Michael L. – 2015 Lance Toy Hauler
Portland, Oregon – Increase: $4,396 – 70% Increase – Progressive – M. Connly, Portland, OR. 2001 Toyota Sequoia SR5
Elmira, Oregon – Increase: $2,324.00 – 17% Increase – Progressive – Nick A. 1999 Ford F-350
St. Helens, Oregon – Increase: $2,360.00 – 28% increase – Travelers – 2011 Toyota RAV4
Goldendale, Washington – Increase: $2,399.71 – 6% increase – State Farm – T. Casey 2016 RAM 2500 Laramie Longhorn
Estacada, Oregon – Increase: $5,177.02 – 118% Increase – Progressive – T. Harrington 2002 Subaru WRX
Hillsboro, Oregon – Increase: $6,590.00 – 34% Increase – USAA – R. McCarthy – 2008 Dodge Ram 3500 Diesel
Portland, Oregon – Increase: $10,426.00 – 329% Increase – State Farm – R. Estrada – 1990 Harley Davideson FLHS Electic Glide
Hillsboro, Oregon – Increase: $6,590.00 – 34% Increase – USAA – R. McCarthy – 2008 Dodge Ram 3500 Diesel

Watch our Videos to better understand the Appraisal Clause Process

CALL NOW - FOR A FREE TOTAL LOSS CLAIM REVIEW 503-420-3001

What Clients Are Saying About Leverage Auto Appraisals

Excellent

Leverage Auto Appraisals |Total Loss Appraiser

Based on 170 reviews

DJ FaceCrook Funches

I recently worked with Ken Mix after my 2017 Nissan Leaf was totaled in an accident that was 100% the other driver's fault. State Farm's initial settlement offer was far too low, and I was struggling to get a fair value for my vehicle. I actually used an AI tool to help me research my options, and it flagged Ken as one of the top independent appraisers in the region, noting his consistent victories in disputing lowball claims against State Farm. Ken came highly recommended, and he absolutely delivered. The story of how we started working together is pretty funny. At first, Ken honestly didn't think he could take my case. Because of the highly volatile nature of the market for older EVs—specifically the Nissan Leaf—he wasn't sure he could find the data to beat State Farm's quote. Instead of just taking my money, he generously gave me a brilliant counter-strategy: he told me to report our initial consultation directly to State Farm to show them I was speaking with an independent appraiser, predicting that just knowing I had an expert in my corner might scare them into raising the Actual Cash Value (ACV) by $1,000 on the spot. But it gets better. About a day later, Ken emailed me urgently. He had kept digging into the data on his own time, completed some deeper research, and realized he could absolutely get me a deal. He was so confident after reviewing the numbers that he told me that if I paid his fee, he could almost guarantee an appraisal that would cover the cost, making it entirely worthwhile and risk-free for me. He took the case, conducted a meticulous appraisal, and completely shattered State Farm's lowball offer—ultimately securing an additional $1,702 on top of their first valuation. His report paid for itself multiple times over, just like he said it would. Beyond being an absolute master of his craft, Ken is a fascinating person to talk to. He has an incredible background, a unique education, and a wealth of diverse life experiences that make him an absolute pleasure to work with. He genuinely cares about getting justice for his clients. If you are dealing with a total loss or a difficult insurance claim in the Seattle/Tacoma area, do yourself a favor and call Ken Mix. He is the absolute best in the business. Thank you, Ken!

Shawn Penny

I highly recommend Ken with Leverage Auto Appraisals. They were instrumental in my total loss claim process. The insurance company initially offered me $16,500 for my vehicle, but thanks to Leverage’s professional appraisal, I was able to secure a settlement of $19,950. Their service was professional, effective, and well worth it."

Josh Liang

Ken did an excellent job negotiating a better price for my vehicle. The lowball offer the insurance company tried to give me intially was insulting. It was several thousand below what Ken was able to evaluate the vehicle at. If you want someone who will fight for a fair settlement, Ken Nix is your man.

Troy

I was rear-ended and my insurance offered me $19,489 for my 2021 Toyota Camry. Ken got me $22,005.50 which is an increase of $2,516.50! I would absolutely use Ken in the future and strongly recommend him.

Jeff Reece

I totaled my vehicle. State Farm offered me 11k less than the market value was. I had no idea about any of this process or what to do. I found Leverage Auto Appraisals on Google. I got ahold of Ken the owner and from that point on I was literally on cruise control. Ken's credentials some of which are on their website are truly excellent. And excellent is the exact word I would use for the ENTIRE service I received from Ken. From his professionalism from start to finish to him putting my insurance agency on notice that he has been doing this far longer than any of them and knows every law and statute of the process that if they wanted an ethics contract signed he had no problem with that just first send him a copy of the appraiser they are using and how much have they paid him in the last year! No response from that! He wasn't intimidated and didn't let them walk all over me. Ken is like going to court with Johnny Cochran as an attorney compared to a public defender. I could in NO WAY find another person capable of doing a better job. I absolutely recommend him over anyone else!

Michael Crumley

Ken is the best! He completely helped me through the whole process and I’m so glad I trusted him with the total loss of my vehicle. My insurance company completely lowballed me and he got me thousands more that I was missing out on. Thank you Ken 🙏

Dylan

So I recently totaled my truck and my insurance company tried to tell me my truck was worth $56307. That number just did not sit well with me due to the fact to replace my exact truck it would be closer to $65k, I reached out to Ken at Leverage and he was able to get me just shy of $63k. Couldn't be happier! Thanks a bunch Ken, you're a life saver.

Response from the owner:Dylan, thank you again for the awesome review and for trusting me with your State Farm total loss claim on your 2024 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. What really stood out to me about your case was that, as a used car manager for a major Toyota dealership, you immediately recognized the CCC valuation from State Farm was not reflecting the true replacement value of your truck here in Oregon. The important thing is that this was never about a lack of knowledge on your part. In fact, you probably understood Toyota vehicle values better than 99 percent of people dealing with a total loss claim. The real problem was the process itself. State Farm and CCC ONE controlled the valuation process and had the ability to pick and choose which comparable vehicles they wanted to use while dismissing stronger comps that supported a higher value. That creates a situation where even someone highly experienced in the automotive industry can become completely handicapped trying to negotiate fairly on their own. Luckily, because of your background in the industry, you recognized early on what many people unfortunately do not realize until it is too late. You understood that all the knowledge in the world can still be insufficient when the insurance company and CCC1 control the valuation process itself. You realized this was not simply about finding better comps. It required pushing the claim into the appraisal clause process and having someone involved who specializes specifically in total loss appraisal clause disputes and negotiating against these CCC ONE valuation systems every day. I’m really glad we were able to secure a $6,289 increase over the original State Farm CCC ONE valuation, bringing your settlement to just under $63,000. That is a substantial increase and much closer to the true market value of your truck. Thank you again for reaching out from the Grants Pass area and allowing me to help. Cases like yours are exactly why I continue fighting for Oregon drivers dealing with unfair total loss valuations and lowball CCC 1 reports from State Farm and other insurance companies. Kind regards, Ken

Alan Cowan

I highly recommend consulting with Ken Nix before accepting any insurance offer. My vehicle was damaged by a tow truck operator and declared totaled by State Farm. They offered me a ridiculously low settlement for a vehicle that I had purchased just one month prior. After struggling with my claims specialist for several weeks, I reached out to Ken and he was able increase my settlement to $5,009 from State Farm's initial offer $2,176. Ken knows the business extremely well and will make sure you get a fair offer.

Response from the owner:Alan, thank you for the kind words and the strong recommendation. Getting a low offer after your vehicle was damaged by a tow truck operator and declared a total loss is enough to make anyone feel like they are getting steamrolled. Buying the vehicle only one month before the loss makes that original $2,176 offer from State Farm even harder to swallow. I am really glad you reached out before accepting it. Increasing the settlement to $5,009 was a strong result and well over a 50 percent increase. I do apologize that the process took longer than normal because of my own wreck, and I truly appreciate your patience while I worked through that. Helping Oregon drivers with an insurance claim car value dispute is exactly why I do this work, and I am happy we could get you a much fairer outcome. Kind regards, Ken

Louis Gomez

I was recently in a car accident that unfortunately totaled my truck. Thankfully, no one was hurt. I assumed my insurance company would handle everything smoothly, but from the start, I felt like I got the runaround. When they finally gave me a vehicle appraisal, the offer seemed far too low. I explained all the features, add-ons, and the truck’s low mileage, but none of that seemed to matter—they continued to make excuses and stick with a lowball offer.
I felt completely stuck until a friend of my wife’s suggested I call Ken Nix. Under our policy, we had the right to get a second appraisal from an independent professional if we disagreed with the insurance company’s valuation. Reaching out to Ken was the best decision we could have made. He was incredibly professional, knowledgeable, and truly fought for our family. Thanks to his expertise and persistence, we received a fair payout that reflected the true value of our truck.
We are extremely grateful for everything Ken did—his communication, dedication, and skill made the entire process so much easier. It’s reassuring to know there are people like Ken out there who will stand up for you when you need it most. If you’re feeling lost or want a second opinion, I wholeheartedly recommend giving Ken Nix a call. He knows exactly what he’s doing and genuinely cares about helping his clients.

Response from the owner:Louis, thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience. First and most importantly, I am very glad no one was hurt. A totaled truck is bad enough, but when the insurance company gives you the runaround and then refuses to recognize the low mileage, features, and added equipment, it can make a stressful situation feel ten times worse. I am grateful your wife’s friend pointed you in my direction, and I am honored you trusted me to help with your total loss appraisal clause claim here in Oregon. I truly do care about my clients and their families. My cousin, Harold Wayne Nix, was an esteemed attorney who passed away last month, and he spent his life fighting for the underdog. He was my role model in that way, and I try to carry that same spirit into every insurance claim car value dispute I handle. Thank you again for trusting Leverage Auto Appraisals. I am so glad we were able to stand up for the true value of your truck and help get your family a fair payout. Kind regards, Ken

Jared Kuenzi

Ken Nix is a miracle worker. He got me over $4,373 over what my insurance was offering. He clearly explained the process to me. I have great confidence in his work and would recommend him to anyone.

Response from the owner:Thank you for the kind words and for taking the time to share your experience. Miracle worker might be a little generous, but I will gladly accept it and try not to let it go to my head. I like to think of myself more as BATMAN. lol My goal is always to explain the process clearly so you know what is happening and why the insurance company’s offer may not reflect the true value of your vehicle. I also appreciate you providing the photo of your Infiniti. Details matter in a total loss insurance claim, and every piece of information helps tell the full story. I am very happy we were able to increase your settlement by $4,373 and help get you a much fairer result. Kind regards, Ken

WHY CALL THE BUSINESS LEVERAGE AUTO APPRAISALS?

Our name sorta pays homage to a TV series that ran from 2008 to 2012. It was about a group of unsavory characters that banded together to form a team to help the underdogs. Their tagline was “The rich and powerful take what they want, we steal it back for you. Of course, we don’t steal anything. We do negotiate for average people against companies that are worth up to 700 BIllion Dollars. We feel the little guy should be represented by a well rounded appraiser. The show was actually filmed here in Portland, Oregon. Although, for the first 4 seasons, it was fictionally based in Boston. The “crew” was composed of a Mastermind, Hacker, Thief, Grifter, and Hitter”. Although I’m not a team, I do bring some diverse traits to the table. To get a little taste of the Leverage TV Show, here’s a link to a the Leverage Intro on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsHQjVMtjrA

YOu can also catch both the old Leverage TV series on Prime TV or the new Leverage Redemption series also on Prime TV.

WHO IS KEN NIX

Picture of Ken Nix, who is an Oregon Certified and Licensed Vehicle Appraiser who specializes in Oregon Total Loss Vehicle Disputes.

Ken Nix is a local Oregon Certified and Licensed Vehicle appraiser who has been authorized by ODOT to appraise vehicles in Oregon for over 14 years.
Ken started in the automotive industry in the 1980s and has sold and appraised tens of thousands of vehicles including late model cars and trucks, Exotics, Muscle Cars, Street Rods, Vintage, Classics, Street Rods, Camper Conversions, and even Japanese right-hand drive vans while working for multiple franchises over 20 years. Ken is the independent appraiser chosen by Ron Tonkin Gran Turismo for independent vehicle assessments.
Previously employed by Diversiform and Reynolds and Reynolds. Ken worked for years with local Automotive Dealers to market vehicles. Hundreds of Dealership owners, managers, and staff know and trust him. Ken also worked with Lanphere Enterprises, and many other local dealers to provide digital solutions for automotive marketing.
Ken is the founder of Volkswagen Owners Club, My GTI, and Jetta Junkie and was an Administrator for Autoguide.com for over 10 years.
Ken knows he market, and how to discredit your insurance company’s comparable vehicles by identifying bad repairs, title issues, previous damage, bad paint, rust from being from a salt state, and more.
Ken has the tools available to see previous vehicle listings, prior damage, and market flucuations that would not be economically cost effective for a single claimant to use.

Ken Nix's current Oregon Auto Appraisers Certification and License issued by ODOT

Ken has actual long term automotive sales, appraisal and negotiation experience. Beware long term businesses with inexperienced vehicle appraisers claiming decades of experience because a relative founded the business. Make sure your automotive appraiser has the real world experience to back up their claims.
Ken’s background in training salespeople on Product Knowledge, combined with auto body repair assessment experience and his computer background provides negotiating leverage over opposing appraisers. The ability to spot bad repairs from prior damage on an opposing appraiser’s comparables to discrediting salt state and flood damaged vehicles used by your insurance company’s valuations from CCC One and Mitchell / J.D. Powers to lowball your vehicle.
Expert Negotiator. Personally trained one on one by Zig Ziglar, Tom Stuker, and Grant Cordone. Over 45 years experience as a professional negotiator.
Ken’s Automotive, Computer Technology, Legal Reseach, and Negotiating background provides a very specific skill set that makes him a nightmare to opposing appraisers.