Why total losses can resolve quickly
- There's no lawsuit: the Appraisal Clause is part of the owner's own policy.
- The dispute is narrow: what the car was worth, backed by real comparable vehicles.
- A pre-vetted independent appraiser handles the negotiation with the insurer.
Most TRUEclaims total losses have settled within 1–2 weeks. Diminished value claims, for repaired cars that lost resale value, have usually settled within 1–6 weeks.
Your part: fronting the costs
| You front per total loss | $500–$600 |
| You front per diminished value claim | $200–$350 |
| When it comes back | Out of the settlement |
Because the costs come back out of each settlement, and settlements arrive in weeks, the line can largely fund itself once it's running. That's what makes your firm a passive funding source.
Where the claims come from
The nearby injury firms that turn away property-damage-only calls. With a simple referral agreement, they forward those callers to a referral line set up for your firm; an AI assistant answers, qualifies the caller and warm-transfers them to your intake.
| Average total loss increase with True Claims | +$7,500 |
| Your share on an average total loss (a third) | ~$2,500 |
| Most total losses settled within | 1–2 weeks |
| Diminished value usually settled for | $2,500–$6,000 |
| Your third on diminished value, on average | ~$1,000 |
| You front per total loss / per diminished value claim | $500–$600 / $200–$350 |
Planning around it
- Set aside a small float for the costs you front during the first month.
- Track settlements weekly: they arrive far faster than your injury cases.
- Keep the two lines separate in your books, so you can see what each one contributes.
Start taking the calls nearby firms turn away
Create your account, or book a 15-minute demo and we'll map out the firms around you.
Related answers
Questions people ask
›Is the 1–2 weeks guaranteed?
No. It's how most TRUEclaims total losses have settled so far. Some take longer, depending on the insurer and the claim.
›Do we need a lot of capital?
You front a few hundred dollars per claim and get it back from the settlement, so the float you need is small and grows with the number of claims.
About the author. Jeff Zigman works with personal injury firms on property damage claims at TRUEclaims. Figures in this guide are past True Claims results or illustrative math, as labelled. This is general information, not legal advice.