/vin-lookup
VIN decode, listing history, and estimated value — pre-loss market trajectory for claims context
Purpose
Claims adjusters often need to understand a vehicle's market history before finalizing a valuation — has this VIN been listed multiple times at rapidly declining prices, suggesting pre-existing condition issues? Or does it have a clean single-dealer history that supports the claimed pre-loss condition? The vin-lookup command decodes the spec sheet, pulls the full listing history, and returns a current market value estimate in one pass.
Arguments
VINrequired17-character vehicle identification number.
How It Works
Execution flow. MCP tool calls are shown inline on each step.
Reads marketcheck-profile.md for ZIP, country, and role. UK users are stopped: VIN lookup requires US data tools. Not available for UK vehicles.
decode_vin_neovinCalls decode_vin_neovin with include_generic=true to get full spec sheet: year, make, model, trim, body type, drivetrain, engine, transmission, and MSRP. Confirms vehicle identity for claims documentation.
get_car_historyCalls get_car_history with sort_order=desc. Every listing event across every dealer in reverse chronological order. Pre-loss listing history establishes the vehicle's market value trajectory — supports or challenges settlement offers in dispute proceedings.
predict_price_with_comparablesCalls predict_price_with_comparables with miles=50000 (default — actual unknown). Returns estimated current market value at 50K miles and top 3-5 comparables. Adjusters should confirm actual mileage for a binding claims valuation.
Shows: vehicle specs, listing history table (date/dealer/price/DOM), total market exposure days, price journey summary, estimated current value, top 3-5 comparables. Flags for claims context: multiple dealer hops (possible condition concealment), rapid price drops, extended DOM (suggests underlying issues).
MCP Tool Calls
| Tool | Calls | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
decode_vin_neovin | 1 | Full spec sheet for claims documentation |
get_car_history | 1 | Complete listing history as pre-loss market trajectory evidence |
predict_price_with_comparables | 1 | Estimated current market value at default 50K miles |
Example Output
VIN LOOKUP (CLAIMS) — 2T3P1RFV3NC345678 ════════════════════════════════════════════════ 2022 Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD Body: SUV | Engine: 2.5L I4 | Trans: 8AT | Drivetrain: AWD MSRP: $32,210 LISTING HISTORY (most recent first) Date Dealer Price DOM ────────── ──────────────────────── ─────── ─── Feb 01 2026 AutoNation Toyota Dallas $30,200 14 Oct 15 2025 Original dealer listing $34,800 61 Total market exposure: 75 days | Dealers: 2 | Price drop: -$4,600 (-13.2%) History note: 2-dealer, clean trajectory — no red flags for claims purposes. Pre-loss market context: vehicle was actively listed at $30,200–$34,800 before loss date. ESTIMATED CURRENT VALUE (at ~50K miles) Estimated Market Value: $29,800 Note: Run /claims-valuation with actual odometer (38,400 mi) for binding FMV
Cost Estimate
400 VIN lookups/month ≈ $12–36
Limitations
- US-only — VIN decode and car history require US data tools.
- Valuation uses a default of 50,000 miles when actual mileage is unknown — use claims-valuation or vehicle-appraiser skill with actual odometer for binding settlement figures.
- Some VINs have no listing history if the vehicle has never appeared in a dealer listing covered by MarketCheck.
More in the Insurer Plugin
Same Capability, Different Plugin
These skills share the same underlying methodology but are tuned for a different audience.
Appraiser vin-lookup presents the same history data as market trajectory context — no claims-specific framing, focused on market exposure patterns for valuation confidence assessment.
View in Appraiser →Lender vin-lookup presents the same history with collateral risk flags and LTV context — rapid dealer hops that an insurer flags as condition risk, a lender flags as collateral deterioration.
View in Lender →