About Total Loss Champions

Switching sides to help the vehicle owner.

Hi, my name is Aaron Castillo, Founder of Total Loss Champions (previously AutoTLC).

Cutting costs is a major trend in the insurance industry.

I worked for a large insurance company for 20 years as both an adjuster and for the last 13 years as a claims manager.

A month after my 20th anniversary the company laid me off along with 6% of the staff to be more "efficient".

They didn't say "thank you", no "you did a good job", and there was no going away party with cake. It was cold hard business.

The job used to be about customer service and paying what was owed, but now insurance companies only worry about their bottom line. Maximizing "shareholder" value and minimizing the cost associated with the claim is the new priority.

I had a decision to make.

My focus was always on helping people get a fair resolution for their claim, but that kind of service is a thing of the past. I didn’t feel good swindling customers and putting layers of bureaucracy ahead of people's claims. So I had to get out from under their thumb.

The choice was easy, I decided to use my experience to help the customer fight the insurance company.

I make it easy to stand up to the insurance goliath.

I am now a consumer advocate in insurance claims.

I use my experience to help vehicle owners get a fair payout for total loss vehicles and with diminished value claims.

I also work as a public adjuster making sure the insurance industry is practicing above the bar in other circumstances. I represent auto body shops, do independent appraisals, and a number of other miscellaneous claims services.

Total Loss and Diminished Value claims are the worst for malicious practices.

An unfair valuation is used to determine the initial insurance offer and they use this to manipulate vehicle owners into accepting an unfair settlement. Services like mine are the only way to get a fair payout for most customers.

Insurance generally offers way lower than fair value using these automated valuation reports, then puts the pressure on to get you to accept. Even if you are unhappy with the offer people unknowingly accept because insurance uses every trick in the book to make you jump through hoops to get a higher offer.

There is only one way to handle these claims.

If you search online there is little information on the right way to handle these claims. Many sources tell you to look for comparable vehicles and attempt to negotiate with insurance yourself.

This almost never works because there is a clause in your policy contract that requires you to get an independent appraisal.

Fighting insurance on your own is simply not worth the time and you will fail.

You need to hire an expert to comply with insurance's policy contract.

Without someone on your side to negotiate you are hopeless. You will never get the fair value for your vehicle. The insurance company has a whole team of adjusters that help minimize the costs associated with your claim (aka. pay out as little as possible).

It's easy to get lost, frustrated, and confused when dealing with an insurance claim. After all, the system is rigged against you.

As a public adjuster I help navigate the complexities of the insurance claim and represent your interests.

Finally you have an advocate that can get the fair settlement and treatment you deserve.