Insurers
What each insurer says, and what the state says.
Every quotation on these pages is verbatim from the carrier’s own published claims material, linked and dated. We have no relationship with any of them and are not paid by any insurer.
The short version, having read all six: they describe the process in much the same terms, not one of them names the software it values your car with, and none mentions sales tax or how to dispute a number. One has stopped saying how it arrives at a value at all. The rules that fill those gaps come from your state, not your insurer.
Side by side
What each one publishes about arriving at a number, and what it leaves out. Quotations are verbatim and each links to the page it came from.
| Insurer | How it says the value is set | Keeping the vehicle | Its page does not address | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GEICO | “These factors determine your vehicle's actual cash value: Your vehicle's mileage, Features, add-ons, and modifications, Any damage before the claim incident, Recent sales prices of similar vehicles in your area” | “Can you choose to keep your totaled car? That depends on the state where you live. Ask your assigned adjuster about your state's rules for total loss vehicles. We'll adjust your settlement amount if you decide to keep your totaled car.” | sales tax and fees, how to dispute the valuation, the valuation vendor | Sep 6, 2026 |
| State Farm | “Actual cash value is generally determined by factors such as the age, condition, equipment and mileage of your vehicle at the time the loss occurred.” | Not addressed | sales tax and fees, how to dispute the valuation, the valuation vendor | Sep 6, 2026 |
| Progressive | “To determine the vehicle's value, and in accordance with any applicable state laws, we review the mileage, options, and condition of your vehicle against the current values of comparable vehicles.” | “You have the option to retain your vehicle salvage or transfer the title to us once we pay your claim.” | sales tax and fees, how to dispute the valuation, the valuation vendor | Sep 6, 2026 |
| Allstate | “To determine your car's ACV, insurers consider several factors, such as the vehicle's age, condition, mileage, resale value, and selling price of similar vehicles in your area.” | Not addressed | sales tax and fees, how to dispute the valuation, the valuation vendor | Sep 6, 2026 |
| USAA | “Typically, your insurer will determine the ACV by considering your vehicle's condition before the crash and market value for similar used vehicles in your geographic area.” | Not addressed | sales tax and fees, how to dispute the valuation, the valuation vendor | Sep 6, 2026 |
| Liberty Mutual | Does not say. It carried a definition when we first read it and does not now. | Not addressed | sales tax and fees, how to dispute the valuation, the valuation vendor, how it values the vehicle | Sep 6, 2026 |