Alaska

A Basic Overview

Expanded Narrative

An Objective Overview of

Diminished Value Laws

in Alaska as reviewed by

J. D. Howard

ALASKA IS A DIMINISHED VALUE RECOVERY STATE …

There is an over-abundance of Diminished Value appraisal services being promoted on internet search engines. Sadly, too many of those sites are run by unqualified hustlers out for a quick buck. There are only a hand full of qualified service providers that know what they’re doing and can be relied upon to tell the truth. This web site is among that hand full.

As noted above, Alaska is a Diminished Value Recovery State. If your vehicle sustained collision damage due to the negligence of the other party, that other party (by and through their insurance company) owes you any Post-Repair Residual Diminished Value to your vehicle. IF the at-fault party is Not insured, the Alaska Personal Auto Insurance Policy does Not provide coverage for recovery of Post-Repair Residual Diminished Value in either the Collision or Un-Insured Motorist coverages.

NOTE: IF you itemize your deductions on your personal income tax returns, you may (operative word “may”) be able to deduct your Post-Repair Residual Diminished Value as an “Uncompensated Casualty Loss”. Check with your tax adviser.

A Diminished Value Appraisal is only worth the cost, when it is a persuasive document leading to the recovery of Diminished Value damages ... A Diminished Value Appraisal "Estimate" ... Honestly Expressed ... and combined with knowledge of the Diminished Value LAWS in a consumer's given state, are necessary elements of consideration to evaluate pursuing a Diminished Value recovery ...

The Reported Case Law precedent in Alaska, which assures your Right to recover your Post-Repair Residual Diminished Value, is … Willett v. State of Alaska (826 P.2d 1142) circa 1992.

For the average person, enforcing their Right to Recover their Post-Repair Residual Diminished Value is most easily pursued by utilizing the Small Claims Court (kind of a Judge Judy type of environment) system. No attorney is necessary. The Rules of Civil Procedure are more informal. Costs are more reasonable (recoverable with judgment) and the process is faster. Though Small Claims Court authority is limited to only $10,000.00, recovery of that amount + costs + potentially our appraisal fee, can be preferable to hiring an attorney to file in District Court and have your case drag out for years.

NOTE: IF you have a companion Personal Injury claim, arising from the same accident, DO NOT file suit solely for your Post-Repair Residual Diminished Value. Alaska does NOT allow a plaintiff to “Split” their causes of action. Seek Further Advice !

Truth. . . MATTERS !

Notwithstanding what other web sites may have you believe, there are only 3 (yes, only 3) general categories of Diminished Value that impact consumers …

• Immediate / Inherent Diminished Value is the Loss of Value of a damaged vehicle immediately upon infliction of the damage.
• Post-Repair Residual Inherent Diminished Value is, as the title implies, that portion of the Inherent Diminished Value that was Not restored through the repair process.
• Repair-Related Diminished Value is that portion of a vehicle’s Loss of Value that is directly related to a less-than-optimal repair work product. Repair-Related Diminished Value is Not owed by the at-fault party. After all, it is not their fault that repairs to your vehicle were defective. UNLESS …
  • The insurer of the at-fault party directed the repairs to a specific repair facility (or influenced your selection of repair facility). At that point, the insurance company is on-the-hook for repair defects and it becomes more of a Repair Warranty claim than a Diminished Value claim.
  • A Repair Warranty claim would require physical inspection of the repaired vehicle. We may be able to recommend a local resource to help you facilitate your Repair Warranty claim.

FYI . . . DRP Agreements . . .
DRP (Direct Referral Program) Agreements do exist (in writing). Under the terms of a DRP agreement, a body shop surrenders virtual control of their facility, to an insurance company, in exchange for that insurance company’s promise to promote that body shop to their insureds and claimants. All decisions as to method of repair and parts to be used are dictated by the insurance company. We’ve actually read DRP agreements that stated “the vehicle owner shall remain ‘Blind’ as to any difference of opinion that may arise between [insurance company] and [this] shop”.

Your FREE Diminished Value Estimate comes direct from … J. D. Howard.

Go to ... (or Go Back to) ... Diminished Value Options  page.