Leverage Auto Appraisals Reviews
Has your car or truck been declared a total loss?
Has your Insurance Company offered you less than what your car is actually worth?
You need LEVERAGE
Check out our 107+ 5 Star Google Reviews Below.
YES! We’re local here in Oregon. Getting Oregonians what they’re owed for over 14 years.
We work for you, Not the Insurance Companies. True Unbiased Appraisal Services.
Things to ask an appraisal company:
- Do you also work for any insurance company in any capacity?
- Will you take a percentage of my claim?
- Will I recover 100% of the cost of the appraisal services including negotiation costs if you increase the value one cent in Oregon?
- Where is your company from? FYI, many out of state appraisers are not licensed to appraise vehicles in Oregon. They get a $10k increase? You may see it reversed because they were not authorized by ODOT to appraise vehicles in Oregon.
ODOT Licensed Vehicle Appraiser #V34-075
Ken helped ease some stress and confusion I had and I greatly appreciate all the help
There is a law in Oregon that if the appraisal increases from insurance offer by even $0.01 that insurance company must reimburse you for the appraisal, so Liberty Mutual also got stuck paying Ken for his service and my total cost for Ken's service was $0. Only downside is that the process takes a couple weeks.....that's probably part of the game where insurance company hopes you just sign whatever they put in front of you. I will recommend Ken to everyone that I know who is in a similar position in the future.
I was WRONG. It was a gigantic, time-wasting headache. After spending a bunch of time gathering and submitting documentation to prove that their settlement offer was absurdly low they agreed and increased their offer by $500 - ridiculous.
At this point I engaged Ken to help. He was a steady hand through the entire process and provided a real education on how this whole dumb system works. In the end he was able to get the offer increased by over $8k (!) which made the final settlement much closer to what the value of the car was.
If you find yourself in a similar situation I suggest not wasting your time trying to do it yourself. Just hire Ken. He'll do a great job, take all the guess-work out of it and will almost definitely get you more money.
Also, if he gets the insurance company to increase their offer by any amount then they are obligated to reimburse you for Ken's fee!
Thanks Ken!
Was hit by another motorist recently hard enough that my car was totaled. Travelers Insurance tried to low ball me on my total loss claim by 4k.
Ken went to bat for me against the new appraiser they hired for the appraisal clause. Ken was able to get me another 2k to help supplement the loss of my vehicle and the cost to get into another one.
If your car is totaled and the claim is under what the car is valued by a good amount, don't second guess - hire Ken to represent you.
with appraisers due to the recent on-slot of hurricane-damaged cars. He was patient in explaining the process and helpful in coming to a resolution with the insurance company.
Ken is friendly, knowledgable, thorough and trustworthy!
Unfortunately I was in an accident and the body shop and insurance company said it was a total loss. I did as instructed and was able to find two or three comps with similar mileage, year of MFG, and options in my area. My insurance company total loss agent used the same comps, but sent me a check for several thousand dollars less than the comps? The total loss agent told me the reduction was for depreciation of the comps ??
I tried to reason with the total loss insurance agent, and told him that, just like the cost of grocery’s and gas… inflation controls the cost of used vehicles also. Costs have appreciated not depreciated. The total loss agent still wouldn’t budge.
That’s when I called Leverage Auto Appraisals and spoke with Ken.
I hired Leverage Auto Appraisals and invoked the Appraisal Clause.
My truck was appraised for $4233 higher.
I received a check from the same insurance total loss agent that wouldn’t budge for $4233, and another from the same agent for total reimbursement of the appraisal fee.😊
Don’t let insurance companies take advantage of your emotions, stress and financial circumstances after a total loss.
Hire Leverage Auto Appraisals. It literally cost me zero and saved me thousands.
Ken has great communication considering how swamped appraisers are now. When I first spoke to him with concerns (before even hiring him), he took the time to answer all my questions in great detail. While no appraiser can guarantee how an appraisal will go, Ken assured me his services would be well worth the cost. And he was right! Less than 1 week after hiring him, I got an email from my claim agent stating they had increased my loss value by about $1800!
I’m so glad I didn’t just immediately accept my insurance’s offer, and I’m especially glad I found someone as reliable and professional as Ken!!
If you are wondering if it’ll be worth it, give him a call and he’ll look over your case and tell you if he thinks he can get you more.
Ken got me over $4,000 more out of my auto claim (140% of what my insurance offered me! Took me from 10k I was offered to 14k my car was actually worth). Plus in Oregon if your settlement increases at all, insurance has to reimburse you for all his costs. So at zero cost to me, I got a huge monetary increase.
From start to finish, Ken explained the process to me, kept me updated, pushed my insurance to move much faster than they would have otherwise, and really helped me feel like I was appropriately compensated after a hit and run.
Anyone and everyone who experiences a total loss should use his services. I will always go to him in the future if anything like this happens again, and would tell friends and family to do the same.
Thanks to everyone at Leverage, and especially Ken!
I knew that my truck had intrinsic value, and so did Ken.
A Pre-Def '06 GMC 2500HD LBZ Diesel. Those who Know, Know!
Well...Wow!!! Ken got me the amount that truck would have brought if I could have sold it.
An increase of 61% over what the insurance company had insulted me with in their initial offer.
A total increase of $12,800
If you need someone who understands what you're dealing with, and will fight to get you what you deserve from an insurance company bent on screwing you.
You need Leverage Appraisals and Ken Nix!
I was contacted by the insurance's hired appraiser when they were looking for pre-accident condition details on my car and even they mentioned they had been in negotiations with Ken over many cases in the past. His years of experience paid off for me! Thank you.
I found Ken Nix, his business “Leverage Auto Appraisal” when he says he’s on your side, he truly is!
He got me way more than I could have ever expected. Not only that, what I learned from his expertise, was an eye opener! he explains every step in great detail, and breaks it down so it all makes sense.
I hope I never have to go through this again, but if we had to. Ken, you’re the man!
Thank you, for your patience, understanding and for answering my many questions and walking me through this.
OH! The best part my husband was one satisfied and amazed client!
★★★★★★★★★★
If I could, I'd give Ken 10 ★s!! Ken Nix is a great advocate!! We were the original owners of a 1991 Toyota Land Cruiser; it was stolen from the “secured” parking garage at our apartment in downtown Portland. We hardly ever drove it, so we didn't discover the cruiser was stolen for nearly a week. A couple days later I fell and broke my jaw & 2 ribs, so we had a LOT of stress going on. PDXstolencars (dot) com helped us locate the car, but the thieves totaled it - then State Farm tried to lowball us on the ACV.
I started doing research on what to do when your insurance company undervalues your total loss vehicle and “stumbled upon” Ken Nix; well, that must have been an act of Grace, because Ken negotiated our settlement and not only got an increase in our ACV payout, but also helped alleviate the intense stress of the situation.
When one is facing an unfamiliar state of affairs (i.e. the loss of your 33 yr old beloved land cruiser that's recently transitioned to the status of a “collector's car”), one needs an advocate that's not only well-versed in the domain of vehicle valuation and appraisal, but also knows the local players involved. In Oregon, you also need that appraiser to be licensed w/the Oregon Dept of Transportation.
Ken Nix is your guy!! Ken ONLY advocates for regular people, not for the insurance companies. Everything he told us was accurate, and it all played out just as he expected. If you're facing the total loss of your vehicle, just call Ken Nix… you'll be glad you did!! ★★★★★★★★★★
It has become increasingly difficult to get a fair settlement from insurance companies. It is their job to settle a claim as cheap as possible and it's my understanding that some companies even offer bonuses to your adjuster when the claim is settled for less than it could have been. Don't fall for the biased CCC One valuations!
I was offered less than market value for my totaled car, calling it "actual cash value". When I kindly suggested that they were not being fair, they LOWERED the original offer by about $1000.
The insurance appointed their own "independent" appraiser that agreed with their low ball value (no surprise.) Ken stepped in and held them accountable. He got me even MORE than I was asking for my car, raising my valuation by nearly 30% and my insurance company paid his fee because Oregon law requires them to if Ken increases the settlement by even 1¢!
Be patient with Ken, some cases are harder than others and he is a "one man show". Trust his process and he will get you good results!
On my last claim he found out that progressive has used a salvage titled vehicle as a comparable to my immaculate low mile diesel truck which actually got me paid back for the trucks current value.
I recommend Ken on a regular basis to my friends who are unaware of what insurance companies try to do to you. I can tell you from experience he is a true car enthusiast and will go ABOVE AND BEYOND for his customers and he will fight for you. I wouldn’t be driving the truck I have now without his help.
Thanks again, Ken!
Keep doing what you’re doing! You’re the best. Hope all is well.
Thank you Ken!
If your car is totaled, it is guaranteed that your insurance company will give you a low offer and try to rip you off. Ken does all the work of dealing with the appraiser hired by the insurance company to negotiate on your behalf. Other places will quote you a lower price than Ken, but they will just present you a report and you are on your own. Ken actually negotiates with the insurance company's appraiser to get you the best deal.
Also -- if you live in Oregon -- the insurance company will have to reimburse you for the amount that you pay for Ken as long as Ken can get you at least one penny more than their offer.
To summarize: I hired Ken and paid him $499. Ken was able to get me $2,400 more than my insurance company offered me and my insurance company reimbursed me for the $499 that I paid Ken.
Just send Ken your insurance company's valuation report and if he knows that he can get you more, he will take your case and you will be reimbursed for what you paid him. You literally have nothing to lose.
I have been a law enforcement officer for over 27 years and this was my first experience in having a vehicle I owned that was totalled and challenged the insurance company as to the value of the vehicle. As time went on (3 months), Mr Nix kept me informed of the all information that was needed and how the process was moving forward.
Mr. Nix eventually negotiated a deal that increased the offer from $35,000 to $52,000 which is nearly a 50% increase in value ($17,000 more)!
Mr. Nix is a firm but fair negotiator that gets the job done! I would highly recommend him as your negotiator to extract the best deal for you possible!
Thank you Kenny Nix,
Michael Leary
Ken was a rock star and is well-known in this field. He was very responsive and talked me through the process. I appreciated that he texted and emailed as well as a chat on the phone! Very trustworthy. I think other appraisers know he knows his stuff, that is why he is so successful. Thank you Ken! I would highly recommend him to assist with a total loss settlement!
He is an honest, easy to talk to, person!
We would absolutely highly recommend Leverage for any appraisal need! Topnotch!!
After months of fighting with my insurance and going nowhere if not backwards, I felt like my back was against a wall. State Farm claims adjusters were beyond nasty to deal with and actually lowered their valuation offer after I refused their first offer.
I thought I was pretty knowledgeable, so I typed up a 40+ page discrepancy review/ counter offer after I had received the CCC One valuation report, (What State Farm uses to devalue your totaled vehicle). State Farm refused to acknowledge anything I called out in my report. I was deflated and felt like nothing that I was doing was working.
I was honestly close to giving up, and just taking State Farms offer. Then while looking online at options, I found out about the Appraisal clause. Upon further searching I came across Leverage Auto Appraisals. I went to their website, and requested a free valuation of my claim. Within minutes my phone was ringing... I screened the call thinking that I just signed up for a scam. Ken left me a voicemail, which I was hesitant to return (still thinking it was a scam).
When I finally got around to getting back to Ken on the Phone we must have talked for hours. Ken explained the whole process, was super personable, friendly, and knowledgeable. (I'm sorry Ken) All of this seemed too good to be true. I truly thought this was a scam until I got a call from State Farm, and they explained that the appraisal brought the value up THOUSANDS of dollars from their original offer.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, give Ken a call. I cannot recommend this man enough. Ken... Thank you for your hard work, and for being such a stand up dude. I can't imagine where I would be if I didn't have you in my corner representing me against State Farm. Thank you.
-Cole
Thanks Mr.Ken Nix for all your help!
These first-generation trucks in prime condition have become modern classics (especially with the suspension and transmission upgrades I had added), and my insurance company was insisting on using lowball, salvage vehicles in all their comps.
With Leverage Auto Appraisals on my side, I got a truly fair market value in the settlement. The best part was it didn't cost me anything; by Oregon law the insurer is required to reimburse appraisal fees paid by the customer if they win the dispute.
Phil Odusanya, Tigard
I thought Geico was supposed to be on my side but it turns out they are most definitely not on my side. When my Chevy Tahoe was deemed a total loss, Geico proceeded to drag the process out over the course of 3 months trying to force me to accept a settlement that was far less than what the vehicle should have come in at.
Luckily I ran across Ken's add on the internet and I learned about how I had the right and option to hire a private appraiser. That was the best decision I had made in a long time. Although it still took a while because Geico continued to stall and drag their feet, causing me to be a little skeptical that this was going to pan out.
But then after talking with Ken he said we're almost done and a couple days later he had the appraisal and it was approximately $4,000 more than what Geico had said it was worth.
Geico was trying to cheat me out of$4,000. Geico had already cheated and left me holding a $750 debt that they refused to pay for the rental car. Regardless of whether I had rental Car coverage which I did, they said they didn't have to pay it because it was a total loss situation. Geico didn't tell me this until after I had received and used the rental car for over 30 days with approval from GEICO. Geico chose to penalize me with this debt for resisting their extremely dishonest and low-ball offer presented to me.
What they had offered didn't even pay off the loan and would have left me with nothing, but thanks to Ken I get my money back for the appraisal fee and Geico has to pay it back to me which is even better and I get what the vehicle should have paid out.
I'm not left out hanging to dry. Thank you very much Ken, I appreciate it and you are well worth the wait and the money!
Greatly Appreciated
Toby
When my car was stolen, recovered, and deemed a total loss my insurance company offered me a pittance, it wasn't even enough to replace my truck.
I reached out to Ken to ask some questions and figure out what my next steps were. After a brief conversation with Ken I paid him for his services and Ken took it from there. Not only did Ken get me what my car was actually worth, his fee was paid for by the insurance company.
Not sure if it's different for other states, but even if it is, the fee for Ken's services would have been covered by the increase in the appraised value of my car.
We had to file a claim for stolen vehicle, our insurance company fought tooth and nail and ultimately low balled us! Ken fought right back and we received $6,600 over the insurances valuation. Fair value is all we were looking for, and Mr. Nix got it for us!! 10+ stars
Though we both acknowledge that the process took much longer than needed (for a variety of reasons), I was very pleased with the outcome. Ken and I had a lengthy conversation up front where he reviewed the initial valuation to determine whether it was worth pursuing his services. Ken indicated that 80% of people in my situation don't exercise their appraisal clause due to all the hassle involved. I didn't want to be part of that 80% so I retained his services.
In the end, Ken was successful in securing $1,200+ above the original valuation. When the insurance company refused to reimburse me for my appraisal fees (which they must do if the final settlement is higher than the original valuation), Ken went above and beyond to contact the Division of Financial Regulation (aka Insurance Commissioner) on my behalf and advocate for me. He sent me the link to file a complaint which I filed that same day. I told him I was in this fight to win! And sure enough, the insurance company finally did reimburse me.
If you have the time and financial resources to get by while going through the independent appraisal process, I would recommend doing so. The insurance companies are not our friends and we should get what we deserve!
I worked with Ken on the Total of my vehicle, the insurance adjuster wanted to offer me a very low settlement on my truck, that I knew was not right but they would not budge, I ended up hiring Ken. Now was I skeptical yes! The whole thing just didn't feel right to me at first. But Ken assured me that this was going to be a good move, and I was making the right choice. Ken went out of his way to make me feel comfortable in my choice as well, and he was very responsive to all my questions and easy to keep in touch with throughout the whole process.
The whole process took literally a couple weeks after I hired Ken, and this was right in the middle of the holidays. As if those are not stressful enough.
Would I recommend Ken? Absolutely! Everyday all day! If you are honest with him about your vehicle, he will do his best to get you the best outcome possible. He is honest and very open throughout the whole process.
I will say this again and can't stress it enough! Hire an independent appraiser do not let the insurance company take advantage of you ever. You get what you pay for, and his fee is money well spent!
Mike H.
FYI: Follow Kens instructions to the letter. I waited ten days for ken to send me the appraisal, meanwhile, Ken was waiting for me to invoke the appraisal clause with the insurance company and give them his contact information, as I was instructed. Once I did as I was instructed, Ken managed all communications and negotiations with the insurance company, and my claim was settled in four business days. My Bad for not following simple instructions!
Great guy! Great outcome! Highly recommended!
Total Loss Appraisal Clause. Getting Your Real Market Value.
We don’t just write a Total Loss Fair Market Value appraisal like some companies. Our Total Loss auto appraiser will also negotiate with your insurance company’s appraiser to get a fair value for your totaled vehicle. This is included in the price of your appraisal, you won’t be upsold later on like some companies. ALERT! If you pay for an appraisal, and the appraiser charges you an additional amount to negotiate the claim, you may only be reimbursed for the cost of the appraisal only. That’s why we include claim negotiation at no additional charge with all of our total loss appraisals.
Auto Appraiser
Over 14 years as an Oregon Licensed Auto Appraiser #V34-075
Over 30 years of auto appraisal experience.
Negotiator
Ken Nix has over 40 years of negotiation experience, with over 14 years negotiating Oregon Total Loss Claims for Oregonians. We specialize in Oregon Total Loss claims so you don’t have to.
Only Works For Consumers
There’s no conflict of interest here. Unlike some appraisal companies that only claim to work for consumers, we genuinely do. We exclusively represent consumers/policyholders, never insurance companies. – Ken Nix
Detailed Specs
In Oregon and Washington, if you feel you’ve been offered an unfair amount, you’ll normally have an appraisal clause in your policy that allows you to dispute their offer. The appraisal clause allows you to hire an independent auto appraiser to produce an appraisal and your insurance company will also have to hire an independent auto appraiser to produce one for them. The two auto appraisers will negotiate the value between them, if they can not come to an agreement, then an Umpire will decide which appraisal is more credible.
In Oregon, if we increase the value by one cent more than the last offer your insurance company offered you, they have to reimburse you for the cost of the appraisal.
If your claim is with your insurer, you may have the right to an appraisal if your policy
includes an appraisal provision. Your insurer must reimburse your reasonable
appraisal costs if the final appraised value is greater than the insurer’s last offer. This
provision applies to all new policyholders on or after January 1, 2010 and to current
policyholders upon the first renewal of their policy that occurs on or after January 1,
2010. Ask your claims adjuster or the Insurance Division for more information.
Lowball offers from CCC One are more common than you may think. In the case of Buratovich v. Farmers Insurance, documents obtained during discovery, reflected that Farmers Insurance had selected CCC One solely due to it’s evaluations having the lowest payout in regards to a Total Loss Claim. CCC has also recently come under fire in Georgia where consumer advocates claim they have substantially lower valuations than other companies.If your car, truck, RV, motorcycle, or other wheeled vehicle has been totaled, before you accept the insurance company’s total loss offer, you should speak to an Auto Appraiser.
There have also been several Class Action Lawsuits filed regarding Mitchell / J. D. Powers and Associates Total Loss Valuation Methods. This valuation has been involved in several cases where consumers have sought class action lawsuits against State Farm and Progressive for using Mitchell and J.D. Powers valuations.
OREGON CERTIFIED AUTO APPRAISER
OREGON CERTIFIED APPRAISER
When Hiring an Auto Appraiser, make sure they are certified by the Oregon Department of Transportation. Otherwise, the appraisal may not be considered credible. We are an Oregon certified and licensed auto appraiser. #V34-075
CREDIBLE APPRAISALS
Some appraisal companies inflate their valuations in an effort to entice you to use them because they have the largest value. Largest doesn’t mean you’ll settle for more, normally it’s the opposite. Most insurance companies know who provides credible appraisals, and who provide inflated values
AUTOMOTIVE EXPERIENCE
With over 13 years as a licensed and Certified Oregon Auto Appraiser, Ken has the experience to handle any job. He has over 40 years negotiating experience with over 35 years spent in the automotive industry.
You DESERVE A FAIR SETTLEMENT
LEVERAGE
Auto Appraisals
(503) 420-3001
Location
8885 SW Canyon Rd.
Portland, OR. 97225
Open Hours
Mon:10am – 5pm
Tue: 10am – 5pm
Wed: 10am – 5pm
Thur: 10am – 5pm
Fri: 10am – 5pm
Sat: 10am – 5pm
Sun: Closed