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Diminished value calculator
Diminished value is what a repaired car lost in market value because of the accident. The 17c formula insurers use takes 10% of the car's pre-accident value, multiplies it by a damage factor from 0 to 1 and a mileage factor from 1 down to 0. A $25,000 car with moderate damage and 30,000 miles comes out at $1,000.
Formula and tables as printed by Kelley Blue Book · state deadlines quoted from statutes, checked October 2, 2026 · an estimate from an insurer's method, not legal advice
The two multiplier tables
Both are applied to 10% of the car's market value before the accident. Values as published by Kelley Blue Book.
| Damage level | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Severe structural damage | 1.00 |
| Major damage to the structure and panels | 0.75 |
| Moderate damage to the structure and panels | 0.50 |
| Minor damage to the structure and panels | 0.25 |
| No structural damage, or replaced panels only | 0.00 |
| Mileage | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| 0 to 19,999 | 1.00 |
| 20,000 to 39,999 | 0.80 |
| 40,000 to 59,999 | 0.60 |
| 60,000 to 79,999 | 0.40 |
| 80,000 to 99,999 | 0.20 |
| 100,000 or more | 0.00 |
The most the formula can return
Severe structural damage (x1.00) at each mileage band. The 10% cap means no car gets more than a tenth of its value, and at 100,000 miles every row reads $0.
| Car value | 0k to 20k | 20k to 40k | 40k to 60k | 60k to 80k | 80k to 100k | 100,000+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | $1,000 | $800 | $600 | $400 | $200 | $0 |
| $20,000 | $2,000 | $1,600 | $1,200 | $800 | $400 | $0 |
| $30,000 | $3,000 | $2,400 | $1,800 | $1,200 | $600 | $0 |
| $40,000 | $4,000 | $3,200 | $2,400 | $1,600 | $800 | $0 |
| $60,000 | $6,000 | $4,800 | $3,600 | $2,400 | $1,200 | $0 |
What the formula leaves out
The 17c formula does not look at the car's make, its local market, a vehicle history report, or what comparable cars with and without accident history sold for. Kelley Blue Book notes that an insurer can "arrive at a significantly different amount" from the formula's result, and that a claimant who disagrees is left with small claims court or a lawyer.
The Georgia Supreme Court's 2001 decision in State Farm v. Mabry is the case the formula is usually tied to. It held that State Farm's own policy covers lost value after repairs: "the insurer's obligation to pay for the loss includes paying for any lost value." That was a ruling about one insurer's policy contract in Georgia. It said the insurer may "develop its own methodology rather than imposing one." Other states decide diminished value claims under their own rules.
A $0 result means the formula ended at a zero multiplier. The car may still have lost value.
Deadline to sue for vehicle damage, by state
48 of 51 jurisdictions have a verified statute on file. The deadline runs from two years to six years: 16 states give two years, 16 states give three years, 5 states give four years, 4 states give five years, 7 states give six years.
| State | Vehicle damage lawsuit | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | six years | Ala. Code § 6-2-34(2) |
| Alaska | two years | Alaska Stat. § 09.10.070(a)(3) |
| Arizona | two years | Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-542(3) |
| Arkansas | three years | Ark. Code § 16-56-105(6) |
| California | three years | Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 338(c)(1) |
| Colorado | three years | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-101(1)(n)(I) |
| Connecticut | two years | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584 |
| Delaware | two years | Del. Code tit. 10, § 8107 |
| District of Columbia | three years | D.C. Code § 12-301(3) |
| Florida | two years | Fla. Stat. § 95.11(5)(a) |
| Georgia | four years | Ga. Code Ann. § 9-3-31 |
| Hawaii | two years | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 657-7 |
| Idaho | three years | Idaho Code § 5-218(3) |
| Illinois | five years | 735 ILCS 5/13-205 |
| Indiana | two years | Ind. Code § 34-11-2-4(a) |
| Iowa | five years | Iowa Code § 614.1(4) |
| Kansas | two years | Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-513(a)(2) |
| Kentucky | two years | Ky. Rev. Stat. § 413.125 |
| Louisiana | two years | La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1 (Acts 2024, No. 423, eff. July 1, 2024) |
| Maine | six years | Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 752 |
| Maryland | three years | Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101 |
| Massachusetts | three years | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2A |
| Michigan | three years | Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805(2) |
| Minnesota | six years | Minn. Stat. § 541.05, subd. 1(4) |
| Mississippi | see state page | |
| Missouri | five years | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(4) |
| Montana | two years | Mont. Code Ann. § 27-2-207 |
| Nebraska | four years | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207(2) |
| Nevada | three years | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(3)(c) |
| New Hampshire | see state page | |
| New Jersey | six years | N.J.S.A. 2A:14-1(a) |
| New Mexico | four years | N.M. Stat. Ann. § 37-1-4 |
| New York | three years | N.Y. C.P.L.R. § 214(4) |
| North Carolina | three years | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52(4) and (16) |
| North Dakota | six years | N.D. Cent. Code § 28-01-16(4) |
| Ohio | two years | Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.10(A) |
| Oklahoma | two years | Okla. Stat. tit. 12, § 95(A)(3) |
| Oregon | six years | Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.080(4) |
| Pennsylvania | two years | 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5524(3) |
| Rhode Island | see state page | |
| South Carolina | three years | S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530(4) |
| South Dakota | six years | S.D. Codified Laws § 15-2-13(4) |
| Tennessee | three years | Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-105(1) |
| Texas | two years | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(a) |
| Utah | four years | Utah Code Ann. § 78B-2-307(3) |
| Vermont | three years | 12 V.S.A. § 512(5) |
| Virginia | five years | Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-243(B) |
| Washington | three years | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.080(2) |
| West Virginia | two years | W. Va. Code § 55-2-12(a) |
| Wisconsin | three years | Wis. Stat. § 893.52(2) |
| Wyoming | four years | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-3-105(a)(iv)(B) |
Quoted from each state's statute, checked October 2, 2026. This is the general rule for a lawsuit over damage to property; children, late discovery and claims against a government can change it. Use the filing deadline calculator for a date, and the settlement calculator for an injury claim, which is separate from vehicle damage.
Questions
What is diminished value?
It is the drop in a car's market value because it has an accident on its record, even after a good repair. A buyer pays less for a car with accident history, and the difference is the diminished value. The Georgia Supreme Court put it this way in State Farm v. Mabry: a vehicle that was physically damaged "can reduce the value of a vehicle, even if repairs return it to pre-loss condition in terms of appearance and function."
Who pays a diminished value claim?
Kelley Blue Book reports that in most states the claim goes to the at-fault driver's insurance company, and that some states let you claim against your own insurer if the other driver cannot be identified or lacks enough coverage. State rules differ, and a policy's wording matters for a claim against your own insurer. Check with a lawyer licensed in your state.
Is the 17c formula the law?
No statute sets it. The court opinion in State Farm v. Mabry, which we read in full, contains no formula. It says allowing State Farm "to develop its own methodology rather than imposing one" was the least oppressive way to carry out the order. Sources differ on where 17c came from (J.D. Power says State Farm created it in that litigation). Insurers use it because it produces a low, repeatable number.
Why does the formula return $0 for a car with 100,000 miles?
The mileage multiplier steps down from 1.00 under 20,000 miles to 0.20 at 80,000 to 99,999 miles and 0.00 at 100,000 or more. Multiplying by zero ends the calculation. That is how the published formula works, and a car with high mileage can still lose value to an accident history, which is why appraisers use market comparisons instead.
Does a total loss include diminished value?
A total loss is paid at the vehicle's value before the crash, so there is no repaired car left to lose value. The Mabry opinion describes it the same way: paying the pre-loss actual cash value "satisfies State Farm's duty under the policy" when the car is a total loss.
How long do I have to sue over vehicle damage?
The table below lists each state's lawsuit deadline for damage to property, quoted from the statute. Filing a claim with an insurer does not stop that clock. A claim against your own insurer can follow different contract and policy deadlines, so read your policy and ask a lawyer licensed in your state.