How to Find Comparable Vehicles for Your Insurance Dispute

Comparable vehicles are the foundation of any successful total loss dispute. The insurance company uses them to justify their offer—and you can use better ones to justify a higher settlement.

What Makes a Good Comparable?

Must match: Year (exact or within 1 year), make and model, body style.

Should match closely: Trim level, mileage (within 10,000-15,000 miles), major options.

Location matters: Prioritize vehicles within 50 miles. Acceptable up to 100-150 miles.

Where to Find Comparables

Best sources: Cars.com, AutoTrader.com, CarGurus.com, and dealer websites directly.

Acceptable sources: Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist (private sales carry less weight).

Sources to avoid: Kelley Blue Book estimates, NADA guides, auction results.

Step-by-Step Search Process

Step 1: Identify your vehicle's key specs—year, make, model, trim, mileage, and key options.

Step 2: Search multiple sites. Go to at least 3 different sites.

Step 3: Filter results for distance, mileage, and year.

Step 4: Document each comparable with screenshot, URL, price, mileage, location, VIN, and date.

Step 5: Select your best 5-7 comparables.

How to Calculate Your Counter-Offer

List all prices. Calculate the average. Make mileage adjustments (typically $0.10-$0.15 per mile difference). Add for better condition if documented. This becomes your counter-offer baseline.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using only high-priced outliers. Ignoring trim differences. Old screenshots. Private sales only. Too few comparables.

Key Takeaways

Find 5-7 comparable vehicles from dealer listings. Match year, make, model, and trim closely. Stay within 50-100 miles. Document everything with screenshots and dates. Calculate the average and adjust for mileage and condition.

The insurance company's offer is based on their comparables. Your counter-offer should be based on yours.

Services like Car Dispute Tool automatically search dealer inventory, compile comparables, and generate formatted reports.