Estimate your vehicle payout
For a damaged, totaled, or stolen car (first-party claim).
What your car was worth just before the loss.
Collision or comprehensive deductible on your policy.
Estimated insurance payout
$17,500
For a stolen or totaled car this is your comprehensive/collision payout. Sales tax and title fees may be added in some states.
Get a free claim review →Quick answer
A car insurance payout for your vehicle equals the repair cost — or the car's actual cash value (ACV) minus your deductible if it's totaled. A payout for your injuries equals your economic damages plus pain and suffering (the multiplier method), reduced by your share of fault and capped by the at-fault driver's policy limits. The two are calculated very differently, so estimate them separately using the modes above.
How the two calculations work
Vehicle payout (property)
A first-party claim on your collision/comprehensive coverage, or a third-party claim on the at-fault driver's property-damage liability.
ACV − deductible = payout
Injury settlement (bodily injury)
A claim against the at-fault driver's bodily-injury liability for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
(damages × 1.5–5) − fault, capped at limits
Actual Cash Value (ACV), explained
When your car is damaged, the insurer compares the repair estimate to the car's value. If repairs cost more than your state's total-loss threshold, they declare it a total loss and pay the ACV instead of repairing it. ACV is not what you paid or what you owe — it's the depreciated market value just before the crash.
Insurers calculate ACV with valuation software (CCC One, Mitchell, Audatex) that pulls recent local sales of comparable vehicles, then adjusts for mileage, options, and condition. If the offer seems low, gather your own comparable listings and maintenance records to negotiate.
First-party vs. third-party claims
First-party (your insurer)
Collision, comprehensive, MedPay/PIP, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Faster, but subject to your deductible. In no-fault states your PIP pays your medical bills first.
Third-party (at-fault insurer)
A liability claim against the driver who caused the crash for your vehicle damage and injuries. No deductible, but limited by their policy limits and by proving fault.
How fault changes your payout
Most states use comparative negligence: if you're 20% at fault, your injury recovery drops by 20%. A few states bar recovery entirely if you're 50% or 51%+ at fault, and a handful follow strict contributory negligence where any fault bars recovery. See how your state's rule affects your number on our settlement calculator by state.
When your damages exceed the policy limits
State-minimum bodily-injury limits (often $25,000–$50,000) are frequently too low for a serious injury. When the at-fault policy is exhausted, your options are:
- • Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage on your own policy — estimate it with our UM/UIM calculator.
- • MedPay / PIP to cover medical bills regardless of fault.
- • A personal claim against the at-fault driver's assets (often hard to collect).
How to negotiate a low payout
- • Don't accept the first offer — it's a starting point, not a ceiling.
- • For vehicle ACV, submit comparable local listings and recent maintenance/upgrade records.
- • For injuries, wait until you reach Maximum Medical Improvement so future costs are included.
- • Put everything in writing and keep a copy of every estimate, bill, and adjuster communication.
Methodology & data sources
Vehicle payouts may include sales tax and title fees in some states; injury settlements depend heavily on documentation, liability, and venue.
Sources
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — Crash statistics and the economic cost of motor vehicle crashes.
- Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) — Auto insurance claim frequency, severity and average payout data.
- Insurance Research Council (IRC) — Bodily-injury and auto-injury settlement benchmarks.
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) — Taxability of personal-injury settlements (IRC §104).
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) — State insurance regulation and consumer guidance.
Figures are presented as low / typical / high ranges, not guarantees. Your actual result depends on liability, documentation, policy limits, and the laws of your state. This is an educational estimate, not legal or financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
For vehicle damage, your insurer pays the cost to repair the car, or — if it's a total loss — its actual cash value (ACV) minus your deductible. For a bodily-injury claim against the at-fault driver, the payout is your damages times a multiplier, reduced by your fault and capped by their policy limits. Use the two modes above to estimate each.
ACV is your vehicle's fair market value immediately before the loss — its replacement cost minus depreciation for age, mileage, condition, and prior damage. Insurers typically use valuation tools such as CCC One, Mitchell, or Audatex that compare recent local sales of similar vehicles. You can dispute a low ACV with your own comparable listings.
An at-fault claim usually raises your premium at renewal, often for 3–5 years. A not-at-fault claim, a comprehensive (e.g., theft or hail) claim, or a glass claim is less likely to increase rates, though it varies by insurer and state. Filing for a small amount near your deductible may not be worth a surcharge.
A first-party claim is filed with your own insurer (collision, comprehensive, MedPay/PIP, or UM/UIM). A third-party claim is filed against the at-fault driver's liability insurer for your vehicle damage and injuries. In no-fault states, your own PIP pays your medical bills first regardless of who caused the crash.
The at-fault insurer only pays up to their policy limit (often a $25,000–$50,000 state minimum). If your damages are higher, you can claim against your own underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, use MedPay/PIP for medical bills, or pursue the at-fault driver personally — though collecting is difficult if they lack assets.
Not immediately in most at-fault states — the at-fault insurer usually pays your medical costs as part of one lump-sum settlement after treatment. In the meantime, your health insurance, MedPay, or PIP covers the bills, and those payers may assert a lien to be reimbursed from your settlement.