Short version: Neil managed to get me a **46% increased ACV** (~$21K) for my total loss claim, and did so very quickly and efficiently. I hope I never have to use his services again but if I have to, I will 100% hire Neil again. Detailed version: A few months ago I was the victim of a hit and run accident, which ended up with my insurance declaring my car a total loss (sad moment). My insurance initially gave me a very low ACV estimate. After a couple back-and-forths with me providing a ton of comps, they did not budge. I knew I had to go the appraisal clause route. I talked to a few appraisers and Neil gained my trust just from the first phone call. Neil charged a very reasonable flat fee and after me sending him whatever supporting documents I had (car photos, service records, etc - I am reasonably organized about these things as this is an enthusiast car), Neil was able to get his appraisal done in a couple of days, all remotely. He later involved his counterparty and not long after, he notified that they had agreed to a shared ACV that matched closer to market values. I think it really helps that Neil (a) knows the industry and how other appraisers think/work and (b) is a car enthusiast so he knows how to "sell" an enthusiast car and highlight desirable features that the enthusiast market values (which was 100% the case with my car). Final verdict: If you're unfortunate to need an appraisal for total loss or diminished value, HIRE NEIL. He's awesome and I am confident that he will get you the most value possible out of a bad situation. read more

Neil is not only a phenomenal car appraiser, but also such a kind and wonderful human being! He truly is such a gem and his expertise is reflected not only in how he handles cases, but also how he interacts with his clients; he is so intentional, meticulous, and kindhearted. Neil handled my situation with such grace that it would be an understatement to compare him to even a gazelle. Neil is more like a tiger; ingenious, patient, cunning, efficient, and humble. My case began in September of 2025 after someone drove into my Tesla and my insurance company USAA was grossly undervaluing my vehicle. The battle with my insurance company was a long and tumultuous one; constant sleepless nights worrying about having a car and getting my car back getting consumed by stress juggling the weight of an active dispute with my insurance company while being a full time student at UCLA. I had nearly given up; no attorney would take my case to help me get the money my car was worth, the California Department of Insurance reached out to USAA on various accounts for me and my insurance company continued to issue neglectful valuations. I had lost all hope- until I stumbled upon Neil. Neil was quick to assure me that he could assist me in my case, but he was calculated and analytical- he did not rashly boast that he would get me thousands upon thousands of more dollars. It was this demeanor that was so enchanting. Neil perfectly navigated the situation and by the end of it he was able to get me more than $10,000 extra dollars for my car, while simultaneously ensuring that the salvage retention value stayed the same. Neil truly is a wizard and a car pro. I could not recommend him enough- if you are in need of a car appraisal there really is no other option besides Neil Thomas- he truly is the absolute best. read more

Very fast and precise appraisal of my vehicle. I couldn't be more satisfied with West Coast Auto Appraisals

Neil was awesome! He appraised my vehicle for its true market price, not for the price the insurance companies hope you settle for. Best investment I've made in along time! Don't hesitate to give him a ring if you find yourself in need of a great auto appraiser! read more

My husband and I had the absolute best experience with Neil. We had contacted another appraiser that left us on the hook for over a month and then stopped answering. We contacted Neil, hired him and with in the week had a check in our account from our insurance company. He got us way more than the insurance was offering us. He was professional, attentive, and fast. I would 1000% recommend him for appraising your vehicle. Thanks again Neil for everything. read more

Neil was extremely helpful to me. He was able to secure a significantly higher appraisal on my car than the insurance company was initially offering. He was very effective, efficient, and friendly. The cost for his service was very reasonable. I would highly recommend this company. read more

Our car was totaled and the insurance company offered $18.5k. They were pretty hard to work with and basically wouldn't take anything we were offering to improve its value. Contacted Neil and he performed a miracle and increased the value to over $27k. Neil was awesome to work with and made the process very easy. If you're ever in the unfortunate circumstance to have a totaled vehicle, calling Neil should be the first thing you do. read more

Neil is very knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. He was able to make it out to see the car within 24 hours and completed his report quickly as well. I plan on using their services again soon! read more

I had to get an evaluation done for my car for insurance purposes as I had extra parts I wanted to insure and include. My car is in great overall shape and immaculate on the exterior, interior and upkeep. Neil's report was not good. He mentioned things in the report that had nothing to do with the evaluation like my removable floor mat had a stain on that I later just washed out! That is just one example that he mentioned that devaluated my car in the insurance letter. He made it sound like and made me feel like I am driving a piece of junk and gave a low appraisal which is not correct. Not sure if it was something personal or he had a bad day. He was also very arrogant when I contacted him about it. Wouldn't do business with again. read more

I was inquiring on purchasing a car in Southern California and really wanted to have the car appraised before my purchase. I live in Texas, so I reached out to Neil at West Coast Auto Appraisals and thank goodness I did! Neil was 100% transparent with me from the beginning and gave me a long list of everything he would be doing as the appraiser of the car. It covered everything and much much more than I could have thought. As a car enthusiast, he knows exactly what to look for when it comes to inspections: Long story short, when it can time to use West Coast Auto Appraisals services, the company I was inquiring on buying the car from decided to give me some truth about the car, knowing that Neil was going to inspect the car inside and out. In the end, the car I was looking at buying was not at all as advertised, and I fear if it had not been for Neil, I would have potentially purchased a car way above its value and been ripped off. Upon realizing what had happened, Neil immediately refunded my money, as an inspection of the car was no longer needed. Neil will take care of you, and whatever car appraisal issues you are facing. After he is done, you will know exactly what you are looking at and will feel 100% more confident in buying, or not buying, a car. read more

Neil is very professional and knows his stuff! I HIGHLY recommend using him for any auto insurance claims if you have a total lost and the market value is less than expected. He will help your claim and get back more! I am very happy to find Neil. Thank you and appreciate the service he offers. 100% recommend him. Thanks Neil!!! read more

I was recently in an accident where I wasn't at fault and my car was declared a total loss. The insurance company offered me much less than my car was worth, so I engaged Mr Thomas at West Coast to appraise my Porsche and help me get my car's real value. He wrote a very detailed and thorough appraisal report and went to bat for me against the insurance appraiser and was able to get me $6,000 more than I would have otherwise. He also got my results in less than a week, which I'm told is incredibly fast. I highly recommend Neil Thomas and West Coast for all your appraisal needs. read more

I had a discrepancy with the insurance company they were trying to lowball me on a non fault accident. They wanted to leave me owing 4700 on 2 year vehicle loan. Neil got them to agree on the higher side of the value paying of the vehicle and leaving some money to put a down payment me to on a new vehicle. Highly recommended and professional. One happy insured! read more

West Coast Auto Appraisals - Insured vehicle - Appraisal Services Near Me - Beverly Hills, California

This review is long overdue!! What can I say, NEIL IS THE MAN!!! After getting an insane low settlement offer from my Insurance progressive for my stolen one of a kind Audi, Neil killed it and was able to get me $8k more.. Let me repeat, EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS MORE!! I couldn't believe it. Not only was my loan paid off by my insurance but thanks to Neil and West Coast Auto Appraisals I have a lot of extra cash in my pocket. God forbid if I am ever in an accident or am in need of an amazing auto appraiser again, Neil is my guy. Save yourself time shopping around and get it done right the first time. Thxs again Neil! read more

West Coast Auto Appraisals - B7 Audi S4 - Appraisal Services Near Me - Beverly Hills, California

What a pleasure to find Neil and West Coast Appraisals! I had a need for a quick turnaround to appraise an exotic and he picked up the phone after hours, secured my appointment next-day, and even gave me an expedited report for a reasonable cost. Shows up on time the next day, got it all done within minutes, and I had my appraisal report in hand before end of day. All in all, SUPER satisfied hiring Neil and definitely will use him again for future appraisal needs! read more

West Coast Auto Appraisals - Appraisal Services Near Me - Beverly Hills, California

Neil was early for the appointment and thoroughly reviewed the car. Took tons of pics and researched recent comparable sales to help determine an appropriate price. I figure he saved me from making a huge mistake and from overpaying by tens of thousand$! read more

I received an appraisal following a rear end collision for which I was not at fault. I was hoping to recoup some of the diminished value of my car. Neil sent a report quickly and was very polite, however at the end of the day it wasn't accepted by the insurance company or small claims court. While this may work for some, it didn't work for me, and I just wanted to put this out there given the cost of the appraisal. read more

I can't stress enough what a pleasure Neil is to work with! He is a complete professional and provided valuable guidance beyond the appraisal. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND his services read more

Getting a car appraised to recieve diminished value from your car insurance is always a double edged sword. On the one hand the insurance co won't give you diminished value unless an appraisal is submitted but getting an appraisal is on your own dime and they aren't cheap. Moreover, what defines an acceptable appraisal to the insurance company? Carmax? An auto body? A "professional appraiser"? The insurance company provided no direction. Most people go through the paces and fight with the insurance company until either giving up or engaging Neil Thomas. If you think your diminished value is over $1-2K, it's worth Neil's fee. The insurance company I was working with gave me the full diminished value for my car or 25% of the current value! That's about $9K we are talking about. Granted my car had frame damage and should have been totaled but still. I also got loss of use money too which Neil says the insurance companies generally never honors. So I got the top end of the usual 10-25% diminished value range and loss of use. This all sounds a little far fetched and I really was shocked to learn what I was getting from the insurance company, with out much of a fight I must add. I literally only submitted his report and after a couple phone calls pushing the insurance company along the process I got a check in the mail. Go with Neil and you will be happy. The insurance company said his report was exactly what they were looking for. read more

I highly recommend Neil Thomas for any type of auto appraisal. I contacted him, because I had "invoked the appraisal clause". That basically means you thought the amount your insurance company was offering was too low. He explained to me how the appraisal process was carried out, and worked with me to determine whether it was worthwhile to proceed. After discussing some data, he provided me a rough range of what the expected outcome could be. I did some of my own research, and when I provided him with information, he would either quickly integrate that, or tell me why that information was not valid. He's smart, honest, and responsive. I highly recommend him. If you think your insurance company is low-balling you, it's well worth it to give Neil a call or send him an email. You won't regret it. read more

I am writing this well-deserved review so that others looking for a reliable can learn from my experience. I was doing a car loan with an out of state finance company that asked me for a vehicle appraisal. I originally went through another company which I specifically asked if they were a Certified Appraiser, and he said yes. When I received the appraisal, if you can even call it that, he put his car dealer resale license on it, and it was a 1 page report with his estimated amount. The report was not professional at all, and was not accepted by the loan company. I found Neil when searching though the International Automotive Appraisers Association, and saw that he has a ton of certifications. He was able to go inspect the car the day after I called him, and when I receive his thorough, and professional 28 page appraisal report, I knew I made the right decision. He was very detailed in his inspection and finding. I am very pleased with Neil, and I would recommend him for those looking for his services so that you don't throw away money like I did. If someone tells you " No license required in California" that means they most likely don't know what they are doing, and or have not taken the time to to get the certifications and schooling to be a qualified appraiser like Neil from West Coast Auto Appraisals has. read more

Neil has been a savior for me and my insurance case. I had a classic BMW that was severely undervalued by my insurance company, and Neil was able to get me BETTER than fair market value for my car through the appraisal clause. He is diligent, picks up his phone and responds to calls quickly, and is easy to work with. He is knowledgeable and down to earth, with great guidance throughout this tiring process. I am grateful to you Neil, thank you for getting me fair market value for my classic car! read more

Neil appraised my truck for a diminished value claim. The report, while long, was primarily filler with irrelevant material regarding welding and strengths of steels. My truck repair didn't even include any welding. The report also based the majority of the diminished value on Neil calling two dealers and them saying the diminished value was 20% of the value of the vehicle. Not exactly the extensive report on my truck's diminished value I was expecting. Results: I took the opposing party and their insurance to court. They provided zero evidence of the diminished value of the truck other than claiming diminished value doesn't exist. I had researched ample caselaw/legal precedent showing it does, particularly in this jurisdiction. The judge, after reviewing Neil's report, decided to give me 43% of what the report claimed was the diminished value, and did not award the cost of the appraisal. Finally, my favorite part was the holiday treat I got today four days after Christmas. Neil waited almost 6 months to cash my check. It was wonderful holiday surprise to see my checking account drop so sharply when I wasn't expecting it to do so. read more

If you have made it to this page this means you have been given the run around and most likely been offered an unfair settlement from your insurance company. I was put in a similar situation a few weeks ago with a unique car I owned. It was a 2008 CLK 63 AMG Blackseries. Nearly mint condition but unfortunately due to another drivers fault it was totaled. I had Farmers Insurance covering my claim. Gap insurance and whatever other overages you can imagine. Farmers market appraisal value and offer was absolutely unfair. I had to read several blogs "confessions of Total Loss Adjusters" to finally get to an independent Auto Appraisal Service. That is when I got in touch with West Coast Auto Appraisals. Neil is honest and professional. Even though every claim can be different but if your car has juice, Neil and his associates will not fail you. They are extremely thorough in their research. They let you know everything upfront. Timelines are set appropriately and are realistic. Fees are absolutely reasonable in fact very cheap for the results their company delivers. Thank you so much for your effort! It would have not been possible without your teams quality work! #BenzBoys#Clk63AMG#Blackseries#AMGLifE#professionals read more

I rarely gave 5 star on Yelp. But Neil's expertise is really impressive. Especially if Neil went to the court with you. He sharply stated the fact why the car is devalued after the frame damage history. And the Allstate insurance don't have any valid argument besides they already spent a lot of money fixing the car, and they are not required to pay the diminish value. Here what I have learned for my case: 1. Stay away with Allstate insurance, you don't want be sued!!! 2. Leave the professional things to professionals, I thought I am smart, I like logic, I like argue, and I have done research enough. No, I am not professional, what I think is important, the judge just smiles and don't care at all. So having a professional expert with you is totally different experience, only a professional knows what is important. 3. Claiming DV to insurance is a WAR. It's not like returning a merchandise to walmart. So you have to be serious about it. Even you think you have the right, it's not easy, and you must be aware there is a chance to loose. Finally, as a customer point of view. I bought a new car in 2014 after years of saving. The only reason I did that is because the new car's reliability. Some driver hit me 1 year later, with some frame damage. Even the insurance claims the fix is according to industry standards, the reliability of car can never be recoverable. I can never trust a frame damaged car like before, so will the dealer or a buyer. I think that's the true meaning of the diminish value. A car with perfect history, compare to a car has frame damage history. We have the right to recover the the value of reliability we lost due the accident. Thanks for the professionals like Neil, I had a solid proof for what I lost. read more

I got in a relatively minor accident that resulted in some decent front end damage on my car. The insurance company wanted to total it out for 7k and refused to recognize the fact that it was a limited edition car that was sought after and was worth easily double that. I sent in comps to them and they refused to budge at all. I contacted Neil and he was able to do a comprehensive appraisal that proved that my car was worth 24k. The insurance company accepted his appraisal without any argument and agreed to fix my car, which was all I wanted. I later learned from the shop that fixed my car that the insurance adjuster told them he was astonished that I had been able to get the car appraised for that value and that he hadn't thought there was any chance i was going to be able to get the insurance company to fix it. read more

Nate, in my opinion doesn't seem like a bad guy, I just didn't appreciate the extra cost for something that should have been included in my purchase. Thanks for half job, deserves half pay. read more

I will simply start by saying my insurance totaled my car and valued it at 9200$ which was extremely low. After having Neil look at it he valued at 22,000$ I ended up settling for 21,500$ and with neils help was able to get 12,000$ more my car. All of this was done in a matter of one week. It had taken the insurance 3 weeks to get me the first number. My insurance was comparing my car to cars nowhere close to mine. He charged only a small amount in comparison to how much u gain off using him. I 100% recommend him if u are being low balled by your insurance. The day after calling him he looked at my car. So he was extremely fast to get started. I have a somewhat rare car you can't really find around so if u have one similar he is the best to help with that. The insurance also claimed my car was average even though it's a 21 year old car with 45,000 miles. Neil claimed it as a 10/10 which helped bring its value up. read more

West Coast Auto Appraisals - Appraisal Services Near Me - Beverly Hills, California

Great customer service! I had a nice conversation with Neil. Very honest assessment of my situation. He didn't try to sway me into using his appraisal services. He told me that I was likely better off just accepting the insurer's offer because it wasn't too far off the market comparables. If you are in the unfortunate circumstance of having to argue a settlement claim with an insurer, it is definitely worth talking to these guys about your situation. read more

Daryl J. As a fellow motor vehicle appraiser I have had the pleasure of working with Neil on a number of insurance claim disputes. Although we are at opposite ends of the table representing our own clients, Neil's knowledge and experience with appraisal clause and vehicle values helps tremendously when attempting to negotiate a fair and equitable settlement. Retaining the services of a qualified professional appraiser is extremely important when you exercise your "right to appraisal clause." I have referred clients to him as well as nominate him for umpire in claims settlement hearings. Look no further as Neil is the expert you are searching for. read more

Neil was simply amazing after a long ordeal with the insurance company. He answered all questions and concerns I had in an honest manner. The insurance company gave such a poor value to my vehicle. It was like, take it or leave it. I was extremely pissed and depressed in the situation. I took a recommendation to search for a car appraiser from a friend of mine. It seriously took me 2 weeks to find Neil. I'm very happy that I decided to go with West Coast Auto Appraisals. Why you ask? He is local? He works for you and does everything himself. I kept finding out of state companies that hire adjusters in my area. You get the feeling that your claim gets lost in the shuffle. Neil makes you feel the worth of his experience. Neil answered all my calls and returned them if missed quickly. He has a relationship with some of the insurance companies adjuster and knows the business. He was honest up front about what to expect and how the process works.. He finished up his report within 2-3 days of hiring him. He sent me a very professional Adjustment report to submit to my insurance company. Then Neil worked with the adjuster from the insurance companies side. A week later, I was awarded 4.3K more than the slap in the face quote my insurance company tried to sell me on. It was the best investment I made in such a crappy situation. Please take your time to search around with other so called Appraisers in the Los Angeles area. Then give Neil a call and you'll see the difference right away. Good Luck with your search. I've been there and done it. No matter what, its a headache, but Neil personal made it better. read more

I beg to differ on our conversation prior to the court date Neil. AAA did not offer me "several thousand dollars" as you mentioned. The offer that was presented was 2k during mediation prior to entering the courtroom and I shared that with you sir. At no time did AAA make any other offer to me. I'm not saying you don't provide a good service, I'm just simply saying that this service is not for everyone. Best thing is for folks to do a complete research of 'any' appraisal service prior to shelling for an expensive report. read more

After being rear-ended in our brand new 2015 Ford Fusion Hybrid, the other drivers insurance (AAA) refused to accept responsibility for the accident. They wouldn't fix my car or provide a rental while it was in the shop. This unwillingness to accept responsibility forced me to get educated to go to battle with AAA. In my searching I discovered diminished value and knew if it should apply to anyone it should be me as my car was not even 30 days old. Some websites said they could provide a report, but I also read that this wasn't worth much. I knew AAA would fight, as their behavior seemed completely irrational but indefensible. I contacted an attorney that indicated I would need a professional appraisal and that I would likely need to take this all the way to court. He indicated due to the value of the diminished value claim that he would recommend small claims court. I contacted Neil Thomas and he agreed to provide an appraisal for the diminished value and also loss of use. He also agreed to appear in court and provide expert testimony if needed. It turns out that Neil's experience was needed to refute the non-sense that AAA was throwing out. Neil estimated the diminished value at $7,516 and the loss of use at $3,899. AAA offered $3,000 for the diminished value and $2,759.54 for loss of use. Neil provided his professional rebuttal letter with my revised demand letter. AAA tried to say that $3,000 was based a sliding scale (that is inaccurate and was not even used properly by AAA). AAA then hired an appraiser who relies on the sliding scale to low-ball the diminished value claims. Ultimately Neil and I were able to find many errors in the first and second reports. AAA didn't even increase their offer after the corrected second report from their own expert. At this point court was the last resort. Outside of the courtroom AAA agreed to $7,500 in addition to the $2,759.54 that I had previously been paid for loss of use. Neil thought we had a great case, but thought this was a fair offer. Had I gone into court I potentially could have recovered the additional loss of use in addition to Neil's fees and court costs. I agreed with Neil that this was fair and we called it a day. If you find yourself in a similar position you need an expert who is willing to go to court and provide facts and evidence to cut through the non-sense that AAA will throw at you. Before you submit your first demand letter, you need to know what your actual damages are with objective evidence. By the second demand letter I also had an estimate from Car Max that independently confirmed the frame damage and estimated the loss at ~$13,000. The insurance company refutes this value because they say it is the wholesale value of the car and not the retail value. But it confirmed Neil's estimate was defensible and accurate. The insurance companies do this every day and will lie and try to discredit you and your experts. In the end it comes down to facts that only a professional car appraiser can produce and defend. I would highly recommend Neil at West Coast Auto appraisals. If you are persistent you will prevail, they of course will do what they can to settle for a fraction of the actual damages. read more

I was rear ended at Christmas this year and had Neil do the appraisal. As several others have said, he is easy to work with, easy to get in touch with and replied to my calls and e-mails promptly and professionally. I am still fighting my battle with the insurance company but with his 27 page appraisal, I am sure that I will be able to get the lost value back. Thanks Neil and keep up the great work! read more

I needed an appraisal of my mother's Cobra replica for her divorce. Neil came recommended from another appraiser who felt the replica was a little too unique for him. Neil was very professional, reasonably priced, and accommodating (he drove 25 miles to my mother's home to complete his inspection.) He also provided his 30-page report in about a week's time and his evaluation, I felt, was spot on. Thanks, Neil! read more

My experience with West Coast auto was unreal! Because of Neil's very thorough appraisal, I managed to get double the actual cash value for my collectible car. Never would have thought! Neil is very professional, very responsive and knows what he's doing. Highly, highly recommended! read more

Neil was awesome through the whole process. He made himself available and worked around our ever changing schedule. He was thorough and professional in his inspection of the car and the report he gave to us. The car was fairly valued and directly assisted us in getting top dollar for the vehicle. My family is very grateful to Neil for everything he did and appreciate his patience and professionalism throughout the process. read more

I hired Neil to get the actual cash value for my BMW 740I. Progressive low balled my actual cash value so I had to go with the best. Neil got me extra 2800 before his fee. I glad I hired Neil and will definitely use him in the future and recommend him to my friends and family! read more

Couldn't have asked for a more convenient and smooth transaction. I contacted Neil because I wanted to use my car as collateral for a loan which my bank required an appraisal for. Neil went and looked at my 911 the day after I contacted him and sent me the appraisal the following day. I would highly recommend him to anyone in search of a professional appraisal service. read more

My wife was in a 4 car accident in a 1500 miles old Audi A4. The GEICO appraiser came in with a $39,000 estimated worth before taxes and registration! The loan was at $49,000, needless to say we were shocked; but a good friend who is an attorney said to not accept the quote and obtain a private Auto Appraisal. We went to Neil Thomas at West Coast Appraisal and through his expertise he was able to get the Actual Cash Value to $44,000 before taxes and registration!!! Neil brought us an exceptional Christmas Gift of $5000.00!!! Michael W. read more