Vehicle Appraisal & Insurance Valuation in Tennessee

ACV in Tennessee is the fair market value of the vehicle immediately before the loss. The determination considers the vehicle's year, make, model, trim, mileage, condition, and equipment, as well as comparable vehicles available in the applicable market.

Tennessee's Department of Commerce & Insurance provides guidance on automobile physical-damage claims, including total-loss settlement. An independent appraisal can examine the available evidence and develop an objective opinion of value.

Tennessee's Department of Revenue administers salvage-title rules for vehicles. Tennessee's salvage-title provisions address when a vehicle must be titled as salvage based on the extent of damage.

Tennessee's salvage-title provisions are title rules — they are not automatically converted into insurance total-loss percentages. An insurer's economic total-loss decision is governed by the applicable policy and claims-settlement rules, not automatically by the salvage-title provisions. Claims-settlement valuation and salvage-title classification are separate frameworks.

Tennessee 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.

Whether a Tennessee automobile insurance claim supports a diminished-value recovery depends on the applicable policy, the type of claim (first-party or third-party), and current controlling authority. Questions about legal entitlement should be directed to a qualified attorney in Tennessee.