If your car was totaled in Tacoma or anywhere in Pierce County and your insurance company’s settlement offer feels too low, you are not stuck with it. Washington State law gives every policyholder the right to challenge a low total loss valuation through a process called the appraisal clause. This guide walks you through every step.

Step 1: Do Not Sign Anything Yet

The single most important thing to do when you receive a total loss offer is to hold off on signing any paperwork or cashing any settlement check. Once you endorse a check labeled “full and final settlement” or sign a release of liability, you almost certainly waive your right to dispute the valuation. This applies even if the adjuster tells you the offer expires soon — Washington insurers are legally required to keep your claim open during a legitimate appraisal clause dispute.

Step 2: Request the Insurer’s Valuation Report

Ask your adjuster for a copy of their total loss valuation report — typically a CCC One or Mitchell Valuation Report. This document lists the comparable vehicles (comps) they used to determine your car’s actual cash value (ACV). Review it carefully. Common issues include comps pulled from outside the Tacoma area, comps with higher mileage or worse condition than your vehicle, and missing line items like sales tax and title fees.

Step 3: Invoke the Appraisal Clause

Once you decide to dispute, you must formally invoke the appraisal clause in writing. Send a letter or email to your insurance adjuster stating that you are invoking the appraisal clause under your policy. Include your claim number and policy number. Keep a copy of everything you send. At this point, you need to hire an independent appraiser — that’s where we come in.

Step 4: Hire a Tacoma Independent Appraiser

Your independent appraiser must be a competent, disinterested party — someone with no financial stake in the outcome other than their flat fee. We provide USPAP-compliant independent appraisals for Tacoma drivers at a flat fee of $550, with a full money-back guarantee if your settlement doesn’t increase by at least that amount. We handle all communication with the insurer’s appraiser so you don’t have to.

Step 5: The Two Appraisers Negotiate

Once both appraisers are in place, they share their findings and work toward a mutually agreed value. This stage typically takes one to two weeks. In most Tacoma cases, the appraisers reach an agreement and the insurer adjusts your settlement accordingly — often by several thousand dollars above the original offer.

Step 6: Umpire (If Needed)

If the two appraisers cannot agree, both parties jointly select a neutral umpire whose decision is final and binding on both sides. Umpire proceedings are uncommon — most disputes settle between the two appraisers. When an umpire is needed, we coordinate the entire process at no additional charge under our flat $550 fee.

Step 7: Receive Your Revised Settlement

Once the appraisers (or umpire) reach a final value, the insurer issues a revised settlement reflecting the agreed amount. You then receive the difference between the original offer and the new value, less any deductible already applied. Most of our Tacoma clients receive an additional $2,000 to $8,000 over the original offer.

Ready to Start?

If you received a total loss offer in Tacoma or Pierce County and believe it’s too low, contact us today for a free claim review. We’ll assess your situation and let you know immediately whether we can help and how much you might recover.