What a CCC One valuation report is
CCC One is valuation software that many auto insurers use to estimate a totaled vehicle's actual cash value (ACV), meaning what it would have cost to buy a comparable vehicle in your area just before the loss. The insurer enters your vehicle's details, the software pulls comparable vehicles from its data sources, applies a series of adjustments, and produces a report. The adjuster then builds your settlement from that report.
Two things are worth knowing up front. First, you are usually entitled to see the full report, not just the final number. If you only received a summary letter, ask the adjuster in writing for the complete valuation report, including every comparable vehicle and every adjustment. Second, the report is only as good as its inputs. A wrong trim level, a missing package, or a single bad comparable can move the result by thousands of dollars.
To see what a real excerpt looks like before you open your own, you can download our sample ACV report excerpt (PDF) and follow along.
The report, section by section
Layouts change over time and differ slightly between insurers, but most CCC One reports contain the same core sections.
1. Vehicle information
This page lists the year, make, model, trim, VIN, mileage, engine, drivetrain, and the equipment and options the insurer recorded for your car.
What to check:
- Trim level. A base trim coded where you had a higher trim is one of the most expensive errors, because every comparable will then be the cheaper trim.
- Factory options and packages. Compare the list line by line against your window sticker or build sheet. If you do not have the sticker, many manufacturers and dealers can pull the original build from your VIN.
- Mileage. Make sure it matches your odometer at the time of loss, not an older service record.
- Aftermarket equipment. Items you added (a tow package, upgraded wheels, a bed cover) may or may not be covered depending on your policy, but they will not be counted at all if they are not listed.
2. Vehicle condition
Many reports rate the condition of individual areas of the car (for example body, paint, interior, tires, mechanical) against a "typical" vehicle. A rating below typical usually produces a negative condition adjustment.
What to check:
- Who rated the condition, and did they inspect the car before or after the loss? Pre-loss condition is what matters.
- Is there support for each deduction? Ask what evidence was used.
- Gather your own proof: recent photos, detailing receipts, new tires, recent brake work, and maintenance records. These are the documents that support a higher condition rating.
3. Comparable vehicles
This is the heart of the report. It lists several comparable vehicles, usually with the source (a dealer listing or other market data), the listing or sale price, mileage, location, distance from you, and the date the data was captured. Each comparable is then adjusted for differences from your car.
What to check:
- Are they really comparable? Same year, make, model, and trim. Similar mileage. Similar options.
- Distance. Comparables should come from your local market. Vehicles from a much cheaper market far away can drag the average down.
- Dates. Data captured long before or after your loss may not reflect prices at the time of loss.
- Can you verify them? Try to find each listing yourself. If a comparable cannot be verified, note that in your response.
- Outliers. One unusually cheap comparable (a rebuilt title, a much higher mileage example, a different trim) can pull the whole average down.
4. Adjustments to each comparable
Each comparable's price is adjusted up or down to account for differences from your vehicle. Common adjustment types include:
- Mileage adjustment. If the comparable has more miles than your car, its price should be adjusted up, and vice versa. Check the direction and size of each adjustment.
- Equipment adjustment. If your car had an option the comparable lacks, the comparable should be adjusted up. A missing factory package on your own vehicle record means this adjustment never happens.
- Projected sold adjustment. Many reports reduce advertised dealer prices by a "projected sold" or similar adjustment, on the theory that cars sell for less than their asking price. This line can be significant. Ask the adjuster how it was calculated and what data supports it for your specific vehicle and market. Rules on this adjustment vary, and in some states it has been the subject of regulatory attention and litigation, so it is worth questioning rather than assuming it is fixed.
5. Base value and adjusted vehicle value
The adjusted comparable prices are combined into a base value. Condition and any other vehicle-level adjustments are then applied to reach an adjusted vehicle value.
What to check: Do the math yourself. Add the adjusted comparable values, compute the average (or whatever method the report states), then apply the condition adjustment. Arithmetic errors are rare, but a quick check takes five minutes and confirms which inputs drive the result.
6. Taxes, fees, and deductible
The last page usually shows the adjusted vehicle value plus any sales tax, title, and registration fees, minus your deductible and any prior payments. In many states, insurers are expected to include some or all of the taxes and fees you would pay to replace the vehicle. Rules differ by state and by whether you replace the car, so check your state's Department of Insurance guidance and ask the adjuster to show you exactly which taxes and fees were included.
A step-by-step review checklist
- Get the full report in writing. Ask by email so there is a record.
- Pull your window sticker or build sheet and compare every option and package.
- Confirm trim, mileage, and VIN.
- List each comparable in a simple spreadsheet: price, mileage, distance, date, trim, options, and every adjustment applied to it.
- Try to verify each comparable and flag any you cannot find, any that are a different trim, or any with branded titles.
- Find your own comparables: same trim, similar miles, local market, listed close to your date of loss. Save screenshots with dates.
- Question the projected sold adjustment and any condition deductions you believe are unsupported.
- Check taxes and fees against your state's rules.
- Write down your corrected number and the reason for each change.
Common errors that lower the number
- Wrong trim or missing factory package on the vehicle record
- Comparables from distant, cheaper markets
- Comparables that are a lower trim or have far higher mileage
- Mileage adjustments applied in the wrong direction or at an unrealistic rate
- Condition deductions with no inspection or photos to support them
- Sales tax or fees left out where your state expects them to be included
What to do once you find problems
Put your findings in writing, attach your evidence, and ask the adjuster to correct the valuation. Keep it factual: which line is wrong, why, and what the corrected figure should be. If the insurer will not move and the gap is large, many auto policies include an appraisal clause that lets each side hire an appraiser to settle the amount of loss. Our guides to disputing a low total-loss offer and the appraisal clause cover those next steps in detail.