Appraisal results for total-loss owners in Denver

Where you drive shapes how — and how often — a vehicle gets declared a total loss. These Denver-specific factors come up repeatedly in Colorado total-loss claims, and each one is backed by the independent sources listed at the end of this page:

• A hailstorm on May 8, 2017 caused more than $2.2 billion in insured losses, the most of any hailstorm in Colorado history. [1][2]

• In March 2021, a snowstorm dropped 27.1 inches of snow at Denver International Airport, making it the fourth-largest snowstorm in Denver's history. [1][2]

• Colorado averages more than 3,000 reported wildlife-vehicle collisions each year, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. [1][2]

Insurance carriers in Colorado use the Total Loss Threshold (TLT) method. When the cost to repair your vehicle reaches 100% of its pre-loss actual cash value (ACV), your insurer will declare your vehicle a total loss rather than authorize the repair. From that point, the dispute shifts from "will they fix it?" to "how much will they pay?"

For the full breakdown of your statutory rights, the total-loss threshold, and the appraisal-clause playbook, see our Colorado total-loss appraisal guide. New to the process? Start with what to do when your car is totaled.

1. Free appraisal consultation — we confirm your offer is below fair market value before you commit.
2. VIN-decoded option audit so every factory feature is credited.
3. Accurate, local comparable-vehicle research for the Denver market.
4. Line-by-line audit of the insurer's condition and mileage adjustments.
5. Once you invoke the appraisal clause, we carry out the appraisal process for you.

Every Denver-specific fact above is independently verified against at least two unique sources. Citations below link to the original references.

1. Denver recorded a population of 715,522 in the 2020 U.S. Census.

   • wikipedia.org ↗ — “As of the 2020 census, the population of the City and County of Denver was 715,522, making it the 19th most populous U.S. city.”
   • census.gov ↗ — “Population, Census, April 1, 2020 | 715,522”

2. A hailstorm on May 8, 2017 caused more than $2.2 billion in insured losses, the most of any hailstorm in Colorado history.

   • rmiia.org ↗ — “Colorado ranks 2nd in the U.S. for hail insurance claims. May 8, 2017 recorded the state's most costly hailstorm with $2.3 billion in insured losses.”
   • noaa.gov ↗ — “Colorado Hail Storm and Central Severe Weather May 2017 | Severe Storm | May 8, 2017 | May 11, 2017 | Hail storm and wind damage impacting several states including CO, OK, TX, NM, MO. The most costly impacts were in the Denver metro region where baseball-sized hail caused the most expensive hail storm in Colorado history, with insured losses exceeding $2.2 ($2.8) billion.”

3. In March 2021, a snowstorm dropped 27.1 inches of snow at Denver International Airport, making it the fourth-largest snowstorm in Denver's history.

   • denver7.com ↗ — “Denver International Airport received 27.1 inches of snow in the March 13-14, 2021 snowstorm, making it the fourth-largest snowstorm in Denver’s history.”
   • denvergov.org ↗ — “In March of 2021, a powerful late spring storm moved across the region producing wet and heavy snow. The Denver International Airport recorded 27.1 inches of snow which made this storm the 4th biggest snowstorm in Denver weather history, dating back to 1881.”

4. Colorado averages more than 3,000 reported wildlife-vehicle collisions each year, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

   • codot.gov ↗ — “Over the past ten years CDOT has seen an average of 3,300 reported wildlife hits each year. This number does not include hits that were not reported to law enforcement, and it has varied from about 2,000 to 4,000 each year.”
   • denver7.com ↗ — “CDOT reports about 4,000 wildlife-involved crashes every year on average, but these incidents are immensely underreported. Estimates have found the actual number may be closer to 14,100.”