Commercial Truck & Heavy Equipment Total Loss Help
Independent appraisal firm helping business owners and owner-operators use the appraisal clause when insurers undervalue commercial total losses.
How it Works
1. Initial Valuation Review
Submit the insurer’s total loss valuation and basic vehicle or equipment details. I’ll review the offer to determine whether it reflects the actual replacement market for your specific configuration, condition, and use.
2. Appraisal Clause Recommendation
If the offer appears undervalued, I’ll recommend invoking the appraisal clause under your policy. If you decide to proceed, I’ll provide a letter of representation and clear, step-by-step instructions to formally invoke it with your insurer.
3. Appraisal & Appraiser Representation
Once invoked, I prepare a detailed, market-supported appraisal that accounts for commercial configuration, condition, market demand, and available comparable listings. I then work directly with the insurer’s appointed appraiser to address valuation differences, support adjustments, and reach an agreed Actual Cash Value. If an umpire becomes necessary, I’ll coordinate that process and explain your options before moving forward.
4. Pricing
$300 upfront
Covers the initial valuation review, claim analysis, market research, documentation, preparation of the appraisal report and setup of the appraisal clause process. This ensures the case is fully evaluated before moving forward.
Plus
20% success fee
The success fee applies solely to the amount recovered above the insurer’s original offer and compensates for my full appraisal clause representation, negotiation with the insurer’s appointed appraiser, valuation support, and coordination through resolution.
5. No Risk, Money Back Guarantee
If I accept your case and cannot increase your settlement by at least $1,000, you’ll receive a full refund. This ensures there’s no financial risk to you in hiring me.
6. Timeline
Most commercial total loss appraisal clause cases are resolved within 1–3 weeks once both appraisers are appointed. Final timelines depend on insurer responsiveness, the insurer’s appointed appraiser, and whether an umpire is required. I’ll keep you informed throughout the process.
Commercial Assets Commonly Handled in Total Loss Claims
On-Road Commercial Vehicles
- Semi trucks and tractors
- Commercial box trucks
- Work vans and service vehicles
- Chassis cabs and vocational trucks
Heavy Equipment & Machinery
- Construction equipment
- Earth-moving equipment
- Agricultural machinery
- Industrial and job-site equipment
Specialty & Fleet Assets
- Fleet vehicles (single or multi-unit losses)
- Upfitted and specialty vehicles
- Modified or rebuilt commercial units
- Regional and niche market assets
This page is focused on first-party commercial total loss disputes. Repair estimates, diminished value, and third-party claims are not addressed here.
Background and Approach
I work as an independent vehicle appraiser focused on commercial truck and heavy equipment total loss disputes. Over time, I’ve seen how often commercial assets are oversimplified in insurer valuation reports, particularly when configuration, usage, maintenance history, and rebuilds are not fully considered.
My approach is grounded in market support and documentation. I evaluate each asset based on its specific configuration, condition, and realistic replacement market, not generalized averages. When appropriate, I work within the appraisal clause framework and engage directly with the insurer’s appointed appraiser to resolve valuation differences in a structured, policy-based manner.
The goal is not to inflate values, but to ensure commercial assets are evaluated accurately and defensibly based on how they actually trade in the market.
Testimonials
Pricing
$300
plus 20% of the settlement increase
This service includes a certified USPAP-compliant appraisal with full representation. It’s $300 for the appraisal, plus 20% of any increase we secure. No risk money-back guarantee if we don’t increase your payout by at least $1,000.
Zero Risk Money Back Guarantee:
If I take your case and you follow my recommended steps, but we don’t increase your payout by at least $1,000, you’ll get a full refund, no charge for my services.
See If My Case Qualifies
Before founding Fair Auto Appraisals LLC, I experienced the appraisal clause process firsthand. That experience highlighted how inconsistent appraisal quality can be and how often poorly documented reports fail to withstand insurer or third-party scrutiny.
In commercial and heavy equipment total loss disputes, valuation reports are frequently challenged not because of the conclusion, but because of how the value is supported. When adjustments are not clearly explained, or when comparables are not properly broken down, insurers often disregard the appraisal entirely.
My approach is built around producing market-supported, well-documented valuations that can withstand close review. Each appraisal is supported by relevant comparable data, with clear adjustments for condition, usage, configuration, and documented repairs or rebuilds where applicable. Special considerations such as vocational use, upfits, or regional market factors are addressed when they materially affect value.
Every appraisal is prepared with the assumption that it may be reviewed by opposing appraisers, claims management, or an umpire, and is structured accordingly.


