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: $17,75752% increase – State Farm – Michael L.  – 2015 Lance Toy Hauler
  • Portland, OregonIncrease: $4,396 70% Increase – Progressive – M. Connly,  Portland, OR. 2001 Toyota Sequoia SR5
  • Elmira, OregonIncrease: $2,324.0017% Increase – Progressive – Nick A. 1999 Ford F-350
  • St. Helens, OregonIncrease: $2,360.0028% increase – Travelers – 2011 Toyota RAV4
  • Goldendale, WashingtonIncrease: $2,399.716% increase – State Farm – T. Casey  2016 RAM 2500 Laramie Longhorn
  • Estacada, OregonIncrease: $5,177.02 118% Increase – Progressive – T. Harrington  2002 Subaru WRX
  • Hillsboro, OregonIncrease: $6,590.00 –  34% Increase – USAA – R. McCarthy – 2008 Dodge Ram 3500 Diesel
  • Portland, OregonIncrease: $10,426.00 –  329% Increase – State Farm – R. Estrada – 1990 Harley Davideson FLHS Electic Glide
  • Hillsboro, OregonIncrease: $6,590.00 –  34% Increase – USAA – R. McCarthy – 2008 Dodge Ram 3500 Diesel

Watch our Videos to better understand the Appraisal Clause Process

What Clients Are Saying About Leverage Auto Appraisals

Leverage Auto Appraisals |Total Loss Appraiser
Excellent
4.9
Based on 98 reviews
Great working with Ken! Very professional and knowledgeable. Did an excellent job explaining the whole process. Can’t recommend him enough.
Our BMW was in an accident and totaled. The insurance carrier did the usual low ball routine and was very uncommunicative. I contacted Ken and was very impressed with his knowledge and expertise regarding the tactics in the insurance industry. This man knows his stuff and I would highly recommend him for any auto insurance claim disagreement.
If you’re at all on the fence, I could not recommend more having Ken and the team at Leverage auto help you get the most out of your total loss.Ken got me over $4,000 more out of my auto claim (140% of what my insurance offered me! Took me from 10k I was offered to 14k my car was actually worth). Plus in Oregon if your settlement increases at all, insurance has to reimburse you for all his costs. So at zero cost to me, I got a huge monetary increase.From start to finish, Ken explained the process to me, kept me updated, pushed my insurance to move much faster than they would have otherwise, and really helped me feel like I was appropriately compensated after a hit and run.Anyone and everyone who experiences a total loss should use his services. I will always go to him in the future if anything like this happens again, and would tell friends and family to do the same.Thanks to everyone at Leverage, and especially Ken!
I was told that Leverage was a good company to contact for a fair appraisal of a totaled vehicle. After speaking with Ken, I knew I had the right guy to advocate for me with the other appraiser hired by the insurance company to keep their payment to me as low as possible.I knew that my truck had intrinsic value, and so did Ken.A Pre-Def '06 GMC 2500HD LBZ Diesel. Those who Know, Know!Well...Wow!!! Ken got me the amount that truck would have brought if I could have sold it.An increase of 61% over what the insurance company had insulted me with in their initial offer.A total increase of $12,800If you need someone who understands what you're dealing with, and will fight to get you what you deserve from an insurance company bent on screwing you.You need Leverage Appraisals and Ken Nix!
Ken took the time to talk me through this unfamiliar process and indicated he felt the initial insurance offer was a low-ball estimate. He was able to find comparable cars and confidently negotiate an increase on my behalf.I was contacted by the insurance's hired appraiser when they were looking for pre-accident condition details on my car and even they mentioned they had been in negotiations with Ken over many cases in the past. His years of experience paid off for me! Thank you.
Ken was wonderful to work with and to have on my side. The insurance company was trying to lowball our totaled vehicle and after reaching out to him he did all the work and got us a substantial amount above what insurance was " willing to pay". He is also a wealth of knowledge and very passionate about his customers.
Ken was super knowledgable and helpful in walking me through my insurance appraisal and helped me get an increase in the insurance offer. I'd use him again in a heartbeat and recommend him to anyone looking for help with insurance appraisals.
Response from the owner: Thank you for the kind words Aaron. I very happy I could put an additional $3,000 in your pocket. Thank you for choosing me as your auto apprasier.Kind regards, Ken
I recommend Ken Nix at Leverage Auto Appraisals without hesitation. He was able to negotiate an additional $2,245 in compensation from my insurance company after I had exhausted all my personal resources/negotiations (+ the insurance company paid my fee to retain him). This was for a totaled 2013 VW Golf in March 2024. I was thrilled with the outcome and it was a hassle-free process. He was a thoroughly professional expert throughout and exceeded my expectations.
Response from the owner: Thank you so much Stormie for the awesome review. I really appreciate you taking the time to do that. That was an insane dispute. It's crazy how these insurance companies can use appraisers from Kansas that have no idea of our market. They give them the Lion's share of their business and they have fear of loss of that business if they don't do what they're told. I made a suggestion to the Insurance Commissioner over 10 years ago that it would be more fair if they required an insurance company to go down a list of local appraisers willing to do appraisals rather than giving a few big companies the lion's share of the business. I feel this may not eliminate the corruption in the industry, but it would curtail it significantly. Thank you so much for choosing me as your auto appraiser. Ken
Where do I begin and how do I thank Ken? Not many know about a person’s right to have an auto appraiser to negotiate a fair price for your vehicle! If you ever need an appraiser, you must get Ken on your side! We were being lowballed, and they didn’t want to really negotiate.I found Ken Nix, his business “Leverage Auto Appraisal” when he says he’s on your side, he truly is!He got me way more than I could have ever expected. Not only that, what I learned from his expertise, was an eye opener! he explains every step in great detail, and breaks it down so it all makes sense.I hope I never have to go through this again, but if we had to. Ken, you’re the man!Thank you, for your patience, understanding and for answering my many questions and walking me through this.OH! The best part my husband was one satisfied and amazed client!
Response from the owner: Thank you so much, Lavaune! I truly appreciate you taking the time to write a review, and I'm thrilled that both you and your husband were pleased with my services. I'm especially grateful that you mentioned my efforts to explain the process in detail. I always strive to ensure that my clients fully understand each step, even though the process can sometimes take time. Negotiating a claim involves many variables such as whether the insurance company picks a local appraiser, an out-of-area one, or even a large, well-connected company can all impact the timeline and outcome.This job certainly isn't stress-free, and my priority is always to make sure my clients are satisfied. If I worked for the insurance companies, I'd probably earn about $250 more per case on average, and I wouldn’t have to worry as much about public opinion, marketing, negotiating, or selling my appraisal services. But the path I’ve chosen, while challenging, I feel is the right one for me. It is fulfilling because I get to help people who are being taken advantage in most cases, and I’m committed to advocating for my clients and ensuring they know their rights and understand the process. Your recognition of these efforts means the world to me. Thank you again! - Ken
Reached out because my insurance provided me low offer on a total loss and I was not willing to settle. Everyone kept telling me to research and request a new offer based on all of the information I gathered. It makes no sense to do all this work when leverage Auto appraisals can do all of that work and has an established working relationship with insurance companies where he knows what information to provide to get the end result his clients are looking for. After it was all said and done they were able to get an offer within a very close amount of what I was looking for. I hope I never have to use their service again but if I will I certainly will come back to this company. Thank you again for your guidance and your hard work. Now if only I can find my wife another car like the one she lost.
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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.

 

How To Video on The Appraisal Clause

Recent Total Loss Claims

Dodge Ram Totaled Total Loss appraisal for insurance dispute with Progressive Insurance company

2005 Dodge Ram 3500 SLT

Settlement Increase: $5,750.00

Details
  • Total Loss Dispute Appraisal and negotiation.

  • Insurance Offer: $18,750.00

  • Settlement: $24,500.00

  • Increase of: $5,750.00

Dodge Ram Totaled Total Loss appraisal for insurance dispute with Progressive Insurance company

2020 Ford F-550

Settlement Increase: $14,405.00

Details
  • Total Loss Dispute Truck Appraisal Clause Negotiation.
  • Insurance Offer: $10,954.00
  • Settlement: $15,700.00
  • Increase of: $4,746.00
Geico Total Loss Dispute insurance fair market value appraisal settlement

2017 Nissan Sentra "Stolen Vehicle"

Settlement Increase: $4,746.00

Details
  • Total Loss Dispute Appraisal and negotiation.

  • Insurance Offer: $18,750.00

  • Settlement: $24,500.00

  • Increase of: $5,750.00

ccc one national general appraisal dispute clause total loss

2019 Ford Ranger Lariat SuperCrew

Settlement Increase: $2,573.00

Details
  • Insurance company: National General Insurance
  • Initial Valuation: CCC One Market Valuation Report
  • Total Loss Dispute Appraisal and negotiation.
  • Insurance Offer: $40,427.00
  • Settlement: $43,0500.00
  • Increase of: $2,573.00
farmers insurance total loss dispute 2015 mitsubishi lancer evo ccc one evaluation

Mitsubishi EVO

Settlement Increase: $9,417.00

Details
  • Farmers Insurance Total Loss Appraisal clause dispute
  • CCC One Valuation
  • Total Loss Dispute Appraisal and negotiation.
  • Insurance Offer: $18,833.00
  • Settlement: $28,250.00
  • Increase of: $9,417.00
Geico Total Loss Dispute insurance fair market value appraisal settlement

2020 GMC Yukon SLT 4WD

Settlement Increase: $10,286.00

Details
  • Progressive Insurance Total Loss Dispute
  • Mitchel / J.D. Powers Valuation
  • Total Loss Dispute Appraisal and negotiation.
  • Insurance Offer: $50,214.00
  • Settlement: $60,500.00
  • Increase of: $10,286.00

LEVERAGE

Auto Appraisals

(503) 420-3001

Location

Portland, OR. 97225

Email

leveragepdx@gmail.com

Open Hours

Mon:10am – 5pm
Tue: 10am – 5pm
Wed: 10am – 5pm
Thur: 10am – 5pm
Fri: 10am – 5pm
Sat: 10am – 5pm
Sun: Closed