RHD Insurance Appraisal Service for JDM Vehicles

Why Insurance Appraisals Were Necessary for Imported Vehicles

Insurance companies required an accurate vehicle appraisal to insure a JDM or other imported vehicle and to confirm they were providing adequate coverage. The market value of an imported right-hand-drive vehicle was not straightforward to establish — pricing data for these models was sparse in the Canadian market, and standard valuation guides did not cover them.

Terra2 Imports offered an in-house Market Value Assessment to address this gap. With nearly 15,000 vehicle listings manually curated on the site over the years — each selected from hundreds of options sourced through Japanese auctions and dealers — Terra2 had accumulated a reference base that was difficult to match anywhere else in the import industry.

What the T2 Appraisal Covered

The evaluation report Terra2 produced for each client included:

• A summary of the vehicle's specifications as recorded on its Japanese caution plate (motor corporation, model code, engine code, chassis number)
• Comparable vehicle listings drawn from Terra2's active and historical inventory
• A T2 Advisor evaluation stating the assessed market value

This report gave the client's insurance provider the documentation needed to set an appropriate coverage amount for the vehicle.

Credentials Behind the Service

Terra2 operated as a licensed BC motor vehicle dealer (MDCBC #30458) and held a Better Business Bureau rating of "A" with no complaints on record at the time the service was offered. The company had been importing vehicles since 2004, including some of the first Nissan Skylines and Mitsubishi Delicas brought into Canada under the 15-year rule.

How to Identify Your Chassis Information

Accurate vehicle identification was essential for producing a reliable appraisal. The key data source was the vehicle's caution plate — a blue or silver plate normally located in the upper left corner of the firewall in the engine bay. On mid-engine vans such as the Mitsubishi Delica, it was typically found on the door frame or in the footwell inside the cabin.

The caution plate recorded:

• Motor Corporation — e.g., Nissan Motor Co Ltd Japan
• Model code — e.g., S13JFTWX52
• Engine code — e.g., CA18(DET) 1809
• Chassis / frame number — e.g., S13-131411 (required for the appraisal)

Terra2 Is Now Closed

Terra2 Imports ceased operations and no longer provides appraisals or any other services. If you own a JDM vehicle and need a current market value assessment for insurance purposes, JDMBUYSELL.com is America's go-to marketplace for JDM vehicles and may help you identify comparable listings. You can also review how importing to the USA works if you are still planning your purchase.