Been in a Wreck?
Don't Know What to Do?
Call Charlie.

Charlie Whitaker is the founder and CEO of Collision Claims Advisors. He's an IACP-certified auto appraiser with more than 25 years of experience in the collision repair and insurance claims industry. He's worked both sides of the estimate — as a shop operator, an appraiser, and a claims consultant — which means he understands how carriers think, how shops operate, and where vehicle owners get taken advantage of. He serves clients in all 50 states.

“Call Charlie” wasn't a marketing slogan — it started as word of mouth. When someone had a problem with an insurance company, a friend or a shop would say, “You need to call Charlie.” Eventually, it became the brand. It means the same thing today: if you've been in a wreck, your total loss offer seems low, or something about your claim doesn't feel right — call Charlie and find out where you stand. The initial conversation is always free.

Collision Claims Advisors is an independent auto appraisal and claims consulting firm. We produce independent diminished value appraisals, total loss valuations, repair dispute appraisals, and post-repair inspections for vehicle owners, collision centers, and attorneys. We are not a law firm, not an insurance company, and not affiliated with any DRP network. Our job is to document the truth and give vehicle owners the evidence they need to get paid fairly.

Diminished value is the loss in your vehicle's market value that exists even after a perfect repair, simply because it now carries an accident history on CARFAX and AutoCheck. In most states, if someone else caused the accident, their insurance company owes you that difference. Most people never file for it — which is exactly what insurance companies count on. An independent diminished value appraisal documents the loss and gives you the evidence to collect.

It probably is low. Insurance companies use automated valuation tools like CCC Valuescope that routinely pull comps from different markets, ignore condition differences, and apply deductions that aren't justified. A certified independent appraisal documents what your vehicle was actually worth on the open market using real, local comparable sales. Many policies include an appraisal clause that allows you to formally dispute the value — and in our experience, vehicle owners who exercise it recover significantly more than the initial offer.

An insurer's estimate is their internal cost projection — it is not the cost of repair. If they've denied procedures, cut labor times, or refused parts your shop says are necessary, you have options. A repair dispute appraisal documents the actual cost to return your vehicle to pre-loss condition based on OEM repair procedures and industry-standard estimating databases. If your policy includes an appraisal clause, that appraisal can force the insurer to the table. If it doesn't, the documentation still strengthens your position with a DOI complaint or in small claims court.

The appraisal clause is a provision found in many auto insurance policies that allows either party — you or the insurer — to demand an independent appraisal when there's a disagreement over the amount of a loss. Each side hires a competent appraiser, the two appraisers attempt to agree, and if they can't, they select an umpire whose decision is binding. It's faster and less expensive than litigation, and it levels the playing field. We handle the entire process: the appraisal, the appraiser selection, and the umpire proceedings if it goes that far.

The initial claim check is always free. If you decide to move forward, pricing starts at $325 for a diminished value appraisal. Total loss and repair dispute appraisals are priced based on scope. There's no upfront retainer, no percentage of your recovery, and every report comes with a money-back guarantee. You'll know the cost before you commit to anything.

In the vast majority of cases, no. An independent appraisal report gives you the documentation and leverage to handle the claim yourself. The appraisal clause process doesn't require legal representation. If your situation is more complex — bad faith, litigation, or an uncooperative carrier — we can point you in the right direction. But most claims settle without ever involving a lawyer.

Yes. Collision Claims Advisors serves vehicle owners in all 50 states. Diminished value laws, appraisal clause availability, and total loss regulations vary by state, and we know the rules in every one of them. Whether you're in Arizona, Ohio, Texas, California, or anywhere in between — we can help.

Most appraisal reports are completed and delivered within a few business days of receiving the necessary information. The timeline after that depends on the carrier — some settle quickly once they see proper documentation, and others require the appraisal clause process. Either way, we keep you informed at every step and move as fast as the process allows.

Document it. An insurer saying “no” is not a technical determination — it's a cost-containment decision. If the procedure is required by OEM repair procedures or supported by the estimating database's procedure pages, the insurer's denial doesn't change what's needed to properly repair the vehicle. Write the estimate to the repair plan, not the insurer's budget. Cite your P-page references, attach the OEM position statements, and put it in writing. If you need help building that documentation or navigating the appraisal clause, that's exactly what we do.

Margins erode when a shop writes to the insurer's estimate instead of the repair plan. The estimate is your work instruction — it documents what's needed to return the vehicle to pre-loss condition safely and properly. That means writing for every not-included operation, documenting blend procedures, billing for pre- and post-repair scanning, and charging your posted labor rate. The P-pages in CCC, Mitchell, and Audatex define what's included and what's not. If you're not referencing them on every supplement, you're leaving money on the table. We coach shops on how to build estimates that are defensible, complete, and profitable.

Every vehicle you repair that was hit by someone else has a diminished value claim. Most customers don't know it exists. When you educate your customers and connect them with an IACP-certified DV appraiser, you become more than a repair shop — you become an advocate. We make it easy: partner with CCA, and your customers can order an independent diminished value appraisal directly. You get visibility into the claim, your customer gets money they didn't know they were owed, and your shop stands out from every DRP competitor that never mentions it. Learn more about our shop programs →

The shops that grow are the ones customers choose — not the ones insurers steer to. That means building a reputation as the shop that fights for the customer, not the one that rubber-stamps the insurer's estimate. Educate your customers about their rights. Offer DV appraisals. Post your wins. Be the shop that explains why OEM parts matter, why proper repair procedures aren't optional, and why the insurer's estimate isn't the final word. When customers see you as their advocate, they refer everyone they know. We help shops build that positioning.

Absolutely. When a vehicle is totaled on your lot, the customer often feels stuck — and they look to you for guidance. A certified total loss appraisal from CCA documents the vehicle's actual cash value using real market data, not the insurer's automated tool. If the policy includes an appraisal clause, we handle the process from start to finish. Your customer recovers more money, your shop earns their trust, and you've added a service that most competitors don't offer.

An insurer's estimate is their internal cost projection. It's written to control their costs, not to repair the vehicle. A repair plan is your professional assessment of what's actually required to return the vehicle to pre-loss condition — based on OEM procedures, damage analysis, and the estimating system's procedure pages. When you write to the repair plan, you document the truth. When you write to the insurer's estimate, you adopt their cost-containment strategy as your work instruction. One protects the customer. The other protects the carrier's bottom line.

We partner with collision centers, attorneys, dealerships, and independent appraisers who want to offer independent appraisal services to their clients. As a CCA partner, you get a branded landing page, a partner portal to track claims, and the ability to offer diminished value, total loss, and repair dispute appraisals under your own relationship with the customer. There's no franchise fee, no inventory to carry, and no minimum volume. See how it works for collision centers →

Every partner gets a custom-branded landing page where their customers can learn about and order appraisal services. You also get access to a partner portal where you can see claim status, upload documents, and download completed reports. Your customers receive certified, USPAP-compliant appraisals produced by CCA — and you get visibility into every step. For shops, it's an easy way to add a revenue-adjacent service that builds customer loyalty and sets you apart from DRP competitors.

Yes. We work with plaintiff and defense counsel on diminished value, total loss, and repair quality disputes. Our reports are IACP-certified, USPAP-compliant, and designed to hold up under scrutiny. We also provide expert consultation and, when needed, can support testimony. Learn more about our professional services →

Yes. AppraisalIQ, our proprietary appraisal platform, is available to qualified independent appraisers through our licensing program. You get access to the same tools, methodology, and report engine we use — while maintaining your own independent practice. See the licensing program →