Vehicle Appraisal & Insurance Valuation in South Carolina

The South Carolina Department of Insurance provides consumer guidance on automobile total-loss valuation. South Carolina's total-loss framework addresses pre-loss value, local market evidence, and comparable vehicles of the same make, model, year, mileage, and condition.

A 75% threshold appears in South Carolina's total-loss and salvage-title framework. This threshold arises from the state's salvage-title and total-loss regulatory framework — it is not a universal mandate requiring every insurer to declare a total loss at exactly 75% in every claim. An insurer's economic total-loss decision is governed by the applicable policy and claims-settlement rules.

ACV in South Carolina is the pre-loss value of the vehicle. The determination considers the vehicle's make, model, year, mileage, and condition, as well as comparable vehicles available in the local market.

An independent appraisal can examine the same evidence and develop an objective opinion of value. Depending on the evidence, an independent appraisal may produce a value that is higher, lower, or similar to the insurer's valuation.

South Carolina's total-loss framework addresses owner-retained salvage. When a vehicle is declared a total loss, the owner may have the option to retain the salvage vehicle with a corresponding reduction in the settlement amount. The South Carolina Department of Insurance provides guidance on the specific requirements applicable to a given claim.

South Carolina does not establish a universal statutory automobile Right of Appraisal independent of policy provisions. If the applicable policy contains an appraisal clause, that contractual provision governs the availability and procedure of the appraisal process for disputes about the amount of a loss.