Back to the Acura MDX diminution of value case. I finally got through to the adjuster. She stubbornly refused to raise her offer and asked if I had an appraisal by a certified appraiser. This is an important point. She did not know that a certified appraisal is not necessary for a lot of diminished value or property damage claims. If you have a sale or a trade-in, that is proof of value just as much as a certified appraisal. In court, an insurance company lawyer could probably attack the sale or trade-in in court for any number of reasons, but that doesn’t make it invalid. Similarly, an appraisal can be attacked. No proof is beyond some criticism. But for smaller to mid-sized claims, an appraisal is not needed. There are other forms of proof you can use such as dealer estimates, wholesale records, Blue book or NADA records, offers to buy or trade that are not completed, actual sales and trades. In any event she wasn’t persuaded, so you’ll hear from me about the outcome of the lawsuit.