Appraisal results for total-loss owners in Phoenix

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

• In 2023, Phoenix set a record with 31 consecutive days of high temperatures of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit, surpassing the previous record of 18 consecutive days set in 1974. [1][2][3]

Insurance carriers in Arizona use the Total Loss Formula (TLF) method. When the cost of repair plus the salvage value of your damaged vehicle equals or exceeds 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 formula, and the appraisal-clause playbook, see our Arizona 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 Phoenix 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 Phoenix-specific fact above is independently verified against at least two unique sources. Citations below link to the original references.

1. Phoenix recorded a population of 1,608,139 in the 2020 U.S. Census.

   • census.gov ↗ — “Population, Census, April 1, 2020 1,608,139”
   • asu.edu ↗ — “Ten incorporated places, nine of which are in the Phoenix area, had more than 100,000 residents in 2020: Phoenix (1,608,139), Tucson (542,629), Mesa (504,258)”

2. In 2023, Phoenix set a record with 31 consecutive days of high temperatures of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit, surpassing the previous record of 18 consecutive days set in 1974.

   • cnbc.com ↗ — “That high on Monday ended the 31-day record of consecutive days of high temperatures of 110 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.”
   • bbc.com ↗ — “The previous heat record was set in 1974 with 18 consecutive days over 110F.”
   • cbsnews.com ↗ — “Phoenix sizzled through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit and other parts of the country grappled Sunday with record temperatures after a week that saw significant portions of the U.S. population subject to extreme heat.”

3. In the 2020 Census, Phoenix became the fifth-most populous city in the United States, overtaking Philadelphia, which fell to sixth.

   • psu.edu ↗ — “Philadelphia dropped from the fifth to the sixth largest city in the country in 2020 as Phoenix, Arizona rose to fifth.”
   • wikipedia.org ↗ — “With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, Phoenix is the fifth-most populous city in the United States and the most populous state capital.”