---
title: Why should you get a commercial appraisal on your equipment?
description: Do you own machinery that is worth a significant amount? A commercial appraisal can help you protect that investment. Find out why it's important in our post.
image: https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/hubfs/commercial%20appraisal.jpg
---
[](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com)
# Equipment Appraisal Blog | Understanding Machinery Appraisals
## [Why should you get a commercial appraisal on your equipment?](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/commercial-appraisal)
Posted by [Equipment Appraisal Services](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/author/equipment-appraisal-services) on Tue, Apr 03, 2018 @ 10:42 AM
- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)
When you have invested significantly into your machinery, you want to make sure that your investment is protected. Though many businesses will insure their equipment, proving the value of your machinery after a loss is important to making a successful claim. But what if you're not sure what the value of your machinery should be or are having problems proving that value? in these areas, a commercial appraisal is vital to help ensure your equipment remains an asset to your business. Here's a quick look at the benefits of such an appraisal on your machinery.
## Why should you get a commercial appraisal on your equipment?
What is the equipment in your business actually worth? It's a common question, whether you're dealing with a tax assessment, securing a business loan or making an insurance claim. Unfortunately, the answer to that question can be difficult to prove. Whether you have purchased new machinery, purchased used machinery or need to document the value of machinery that has been in use for some period of time, documenting the machinery value is important for a wide range of situations. But how do you go about documenting that value to outside interests?
When you first acquire a piece of equipment, whether it's new or used, you'll need to enter that value into your books so that you can deal with accounting issues such as depreciation. But does that mean if you got a good deal on it that the machinery is tied to that specific value? Not necessarily. If it was and you suffered a loss, you may not be able to claim the machinery's full value to your insurance company. A valuation protects the machinery's actual value to your business rather than the cost to acquire it.
It also helps to document the value of the machinery for any number of reasons. A certified appraisal is completed using methodologies that have been tested in a wide range of circumstances over the decades, so such an appraisal can stand up well to strong scrutiny. It will allow you to use that value in financial, insurance, legal and tax agency circles to prove the machinery value.
If you have equipment that has been in use for years, it may have been completely depreciated and have a book value that is virtually nothing. However, the machinery may continue to provide strong service for years to come. How do you document that loss of production value when the equipment had no value on the books? Having a piece of older machinery appraised allows you to benefit when it has been lost instead of losing the production value of the machinery because you have no documentation of its value.
By taking the time to have a commercial appraisal performed on your equipment, you're able to better protect your investment. But not all appraisals are the same. Though it can be tempting to try to value your machinery based on market sales or the word of a sales rep, this type of valuation won't hold up well to the strong scrutiny that will come about in a wide range of circumstances. Fortunately, even if you've already suffered the loss of your equipment, a professional certified appraiser can still perform an appraisal to determine the value prior to the loss, making it easier for you to document your equipment's value.
Tags: [certified appraisal](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/topic/certified-appraisal), [commercial appraisal](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/topic/commercial-appraisal), [appraisal report](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/topic/appraisal-report)
### Subscribe by Email
### Most Popular Posts
### Posts by Month
- [July 2026 (1)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/07)
- [June 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/06)
- [May 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/05)
- [April 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/04)
- [March 2026 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/03)
- [February 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/02)
- [January 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/01)
- [December 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/12)
- [November 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/11)
- [October 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/10)
- [September 2025 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/09)
- [August 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/08)
- [July 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/07)
- [June 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/06)
- [May 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/05)
- [April 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/04)
- [March 2025 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/03)
- [February 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/02)
- [January 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/01)
- [December 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/12)
- [November 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/11)
- [October 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/10)
- [September 2024 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/09)
- [August 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/08)
- [July 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/07)
- [June 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/06)
- [May 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/05)
- [April 2024 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/04)
- [March 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/03)
- [February 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/02)
- [January 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/01)
- [December 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/12)
- [November 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/11)
- [October 2023 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/10)
- [September 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/09)
- [August 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/08)
- [July 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/07)
- [June 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/06)
- [May 2023 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/05)
- [April 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/04)
- [March 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/03)
- [February 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/02)
- [January 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/01)
- [December 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/12)
- [November 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/11)
- [October 2022 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/10)
- [September 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/09)
- [August 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/08)
- [July 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/07)
- [June 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/06)
- [May 2022 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/05)
- [April 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/04)
- [March 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/03)
- [February 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/02)
- [January 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/01)
- [December 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/12)
- [November 2021 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/11)
- [October 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/10)
- [September 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/09)
- [August 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/08)
- [July 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/07)
- [June 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/06)
- [May 2021 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/05)
- [April 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/04)
- [March 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/03)
- [February 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/02)
- [January 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/01)
- [December 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/12)
- [November 2020 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/11)
- [October 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/10)
- [September 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/09)
- [August 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/08)
- [July 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/07)
- [June 2020 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/06)
- [May 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/05)
- [April 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/04)
- [March 2020 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/03)
- [February 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/02)
- [January 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/01)
- [December 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/12)
- [November 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/11)
- [October 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/10)
- [September 2019 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/09)
- [August 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/08)
- [July 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/07)
- [June 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/06)
- [May 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/05)
- [April 2019 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/04)
- [March 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/03)
- [February 2019 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/02)
- [January 2019 (1)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/01)
- [December 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/12)
- [November 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/11)
- [October 2018 (5)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/10)
- [September 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/09)
- [July 2018 (5)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/07)
- [June 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/06)
- [May 2018 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/05)
- [April 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/04)
- [March 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/03)
- [February 2018 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/02)
- [January 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/01)
- [December 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/12)
- [October 2017 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/10)
- [September 2017 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/09)
- [August 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/08)
- [July 2017 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/07)
- [June 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/06)
- [May 2017 (5)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/05)
- [April 2017 (1)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/04)
- [March 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/03)
- [February 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/02)
- [January 2017 (5)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/01)
[See more](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/commercial-appraisal#)
© 2026 Equipment Appraisal Services
```json
{
"@context" : "https://schema.org",
"@type" : "BlogPosting",
"author" : {
"@type" : "Person",
"name" : "Equipment Appraisal Services",
"url" : "https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/author/equipment-appraisal-services"
},
"datePublished" : "2018-04-03T14:42:00.000Z",
"headline" : "Why should you get a commercial appraisal on your equipment?",
"image" : [ "https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/hubfs/commercial%20appraisal.jpg" ],
"mainEntityOfPage" : {
"@id" : "https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/commercial-appraisal",
"@type" : "WebPage"
},
"publisher" : {
"@type" : "Organization",
"logo" : {
"@type" : "ImageObject",
"url" : "https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/hubfs/Images%202020/equipment_appraisal_services_header_logo.svg"
},
"name" : "Equipment Appraisal Services"
}
}
```