Diminished value
17c Diminished Value Chart: What the Formula Pays by Car Value and Mileage
A 17c diminished value chart showing exactly what the insurer formula pays by car value, damage level and mileage, and why the result is often too low.
When an insurer offers a diminished value payment, the number often comes from the 17c formula, a method named after a paragraph in a Georgia class action settlement involving State Farm. It takes your car's value, caps the loss at 10 percent, then cuts it down for damage and mileage. Because every step is fixed, you can predict the result exactly.
We built the 17c diminished value chart below, in three tables, so you can look up what the formula pays without doing the math. They are also a fast way to see the formula's biggest weakness: how quickly it shrinks toward zero. If you want the background on how the formula works, read our guide to the 17c formula. If you just want your own number, use our diminished value calculator.
The formula in one line
Payment = car value × 10% × damage multiplier × mileage multiplier
| Damage level | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Severe structural damage | 1.00 |
| Major structural and panel damage | 0.75 |
| Moderate structural and panel damage | 0.50 |
| Minor structural and panel damage | 0.25 |
| No structural damage, panels only | 0.00 |
| Mileage | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| 0 to 19,999 | 1.0 |
| 20,000 to 39,999 | 0.8 |
| 40,000 to 59,999 | 0.6 |
| 60,000 to 79,999 | 0.4 |
| 80,000 to 99,999 | 0.2 |
| 100,000 or more | 0.0 |
Chart 1: Moderate damage, by car value and mileage
Moderate structural and panel damage is one of the most common categories. This chart uses the 0.50 multiplier.
| Car value | Under 20k mi | 20k to 39k | 40k to 59k | 60k to 79k | 80k to 99k | 100k+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | $500 | $400 | $300 | $200 | $100 | $0 |
| $15,000 | $750 | $600 | $450 | $300 | $150 | $0 |
| $20,000 | $1,000 | $800 | $600 | $400 | $200 | $0 |
| $25,000 | $1,250 | $1,000 | $750 | $500 | $250 | $0 |
| $30,000 | $1,500 | $1,200 | $900 | $600 | $300 | $0 |
| $40,000 | $2,000 | $1,600 | $1,200 | $800 | $400 | $0 |
| $50,000 | $2,500 | $2,000 | $1,500 | $1,000 | $500 | $0 |
| $75,000 | $3,750 | $3,000 | $2,250 | $1,500 | $750 | $0 |
Read across any row and the pattern is the same: every 20,000 miles removes another fifth of the payment, and at 100,000 miles it is zero.
Chart 2: Severe structural damage, by car value and mileage
The highest damage multiplier, 1.00. This is the most the 17c formula can ever pay at each value and mileage.
| Car value | Under 20k mi | 20k to 39k | 40k to 59k | 60k to 79k | 80k to 99k | 100k+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15,000 | $1,500 | $1,200 | $900 | $600 | $300 | $0 |
| $20,000 | $2,000 | $1,600 | $1,200 | $800 | $400 | $0 |
| $30,000 | $3,000 | $2,400 | $1,800 | $1,200 | $600 | $0 |
| $40,000 | $4,000 | $3,200 | $2,400 | $1,600 | $800 | $0 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 | $4,000 | $3,000 | $2,000 | $1,000 | $0 |
| $75,000 | $7,500 | $6,000 | $4,500 | $3,000 | $1,500 | $0 |
Chart 3: A $30,000 car with 30,000 miles, by damage level
This holds value and mileage steady and changes only the damage level. Mileage multiplier: 0.8.
| Damage level | Calculation | 17c payment |
|---|---|---|
| Severe structural | $30,000 × 10% × 1.00 × 0.8 | $2,400 |
| Major structural and panel | $30,000 × 10% × 0.75 × 0.8 | $1,800 |
| Moderate structural and panel | $30,000 × 10% × 0.50 × 0.8 | $1,200 |
| Minor structural and panel | $30,000 × 10% × 0.25 × 0.8 | $600 |
| Panels only, no structural | $30,000 × 10% × 0.00 × 0.8 | $0 |
What the charts reveal
1. The 10 percent cap is the ceiling for every car
No matter how new the car or how bad the crash, the formula never pays more than 10 percent of the value. A $50,000 car with severe frame damage and 5,000 miles still tops out at $5,000.
2. Mileage wipes out the payment
At 100,000 miles, every row is zero. Many cars on the road today are reliable well past that mark, and buyers still pay less for one with a crash history. The formula ignores that.
3. Cosmetic damage pays nothing
A car with only panel damage gets a zero damage multiplier, so the formula pays nothing, even though a crash still appears on the vehicle history report that buyers check.
4. The car's value is the input you can most easily fix
The whole calculation starts from the car's value. If the insurer uses a low value, every number that follows is low. Check it against Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds using your exact trim, options and mileage.
Is the 17c number what you are owed?
Not necessarily. The 17c method came out of one class action settlement in Georgia. It is not a law that applies in every state, and nothing requires you to accept it. Diminished value is meant to measure the actual drop in market value after the repair. Independent appraisers estimate that using sales data and dealer quotes for cars with and without a crash history, and their results are often higher than the 17c number, especially for newer cars, luxury cars and cars past 100,000 miles.
How to use these charts in a claim
- Find your row and column to see what the insurer formula will likely offer.
- Treat that number as a floor, not as your full loss.
- Get evidence of the real loss. An independent diminished value appraisal, or written trade-in offers from dealers for your car with its accident history compared with its clean value.
- Send a written demand with the evidence attached. Our demand letter generator has a diminished value version.
Our guide on how to claim diminished value walks through each step. If your car is leased or financed, also read our guide on diminished value after a lease or loan.
These charts follow the standard 17c multipliers. Some insurers use their own variations. Ask the adjuster to show the inputs they used: value, damage level and mileage, then compare them with these tables.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most the 17c formula can pay?
Ten percent of the car’s value, and only for severe structural damage on a car with fewer than 20,000 miles. Every other combination pays less.
How much diminished value does a $30,000 car get under 17c?
With moderate damage and 20,000 to 39,999 miles, the formula gives $1,200. With severe damage and under 20,000 miles, it gives $3,000.
Does the 17c formula pay anything over 100,000 miles?
No. The mileage multiplier is zero at 100,000 miles or more, so the result is always $0.
Do I have to accept a 17c diminished value offer?
No. The 17c method comes from one class action settlement. You can present an independent appraisal or other evidence of a larger loss and negotiate.
Why does cosmetic damage get zero under 17c?
The formula gives panel-only damage a multiplier of zero, even though a crash on the history report can still lower resale value.
What car value should I use in the formula?
The car’s market value just before the crash, based on its trim, options, mileage and condition. Check it with Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds.
Sources
- State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. v. Mabry, 274 Ga. 498 (2001), on CourtListener courtlistener.com
- Kelley Blue Book: check your car's value kbb.com
- Edmunds: appraise your car edmunds.com
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Keep reading
More guides
- Diminished valueWhat Is Diminished Value and How to Claim ItYour repaired car is worth less than before the crash. Here is how a diminished value claim gets that money back.
- Diminished valueThe 17c Formula Explained (and Why It Undervalues Your Car)Where the insurer's 17c diminished value formula came from, how it works, and the three ways it shortchanges you.
- Diminished valueDiminished Value After a Lease or Loan: What to KnowWho owns the loss on a leased or financed car, who can claim it, and how to protect yourself at turn-in or trade-in.