Candace Baker, Car Insurance Writer
@candacebaker
No, you cannot insure or drive a car with a salvage title in California, as salvage-titled vehicles are cars that have been declared a total loss. You can get coverage on a previously salvaged car if you have it repaired and inspected by a state-certified mechanic. If it's declared safe to drive, the DMV will issue the car a revived title.
Several insurance companies, including Allstate and GEICO, sell policies to vehicles with a revived title.
How to Register a Car with a Revived Title in California
- Submit an Application for Title or Registration form to the California DMV
- Provide proof of ownership
- Provide a junk receipt issued by the DMV
- Provide proof of an inspection
- Provide brake and light adjustment certificates
- Pay all applicable title and registration fees (can vary from case to case)
Insurance Limitations for Cars with Revived Titles in California
Keep in mind that some insurers will only sell liability insurance for a car with a revived title, meaning they won't pay for any physical damage to the vehicle. Additionally, insurance for a car with a revived title may be more expensive than insurance for a standard vehicle.
To learn more, check out WalletHub's guide to salvage titles.
missamyallison85, Member
@missamyallison85
Yes you can. I have a car that salvage title it says it right there on the pink slip and I haven't sure and I go to the DMV and they give me registration everything is fine I don't know what the these people are talking about
People also ask
How can you get insurance on a car with a salvage title?
You can get insurance on a car with a salvage title after the car is repaired, inspected and issued a rebuilt title. At that point, you will be able to get liability insurance with the rebuilt salvage car, though some insurance companies will be hesitant to provide full coverage for the vehicle. Even after repairs, insurance companies are still hesitant to cover a car for its full market value if it was given a salvage...
read full answer by Winslow Arizona, Car Insurance WriterWhy are salvage titles bad?
A salvage title is bad because it signals that a vehicle has been declared a total loss due to severe damage (such as from an accident, flood, or fire) and may carry hidden risks even after repairs. While salvage-title cars are often much cheaper to buy than vehicles with clean titles, they’re very risky.
Reasons Why Salvage Titles Are Bad
- Hidden Damage: After repairs, structural, mechanical or electrical issues may remain.
- Insurance Challenges: Insurance companies are often hesitant to insure vehicles that had salvage titles in the past. Even if they do, they may only offer the minimum coverage required by your state.
- Financing Difficulties: Lenders may refuse to finance a vehicle with such a high risk of future issues, so you’ll likely have to pay in full.
- Safety Concerns: Damage from severe accidents, floods or fires can make the car less safe, even after repairs.
- Registration Restrictions: You can’t register or drive a car with a salvage title until it’s been repaired and inspected.
- Driving Requirement: Your state’s DMV must issue a rebuilt title confirming the car meets road safety standards before it can legally be driven again.
In some cases, when the damage is so extreme that no one is even allowed to rebuild the car, it may have a “non-repairable” designation or be issued a “junk” title instead of a salvage title. In that case, the vehicle can be sold for parts or destroyed.
You can check out WalletHub’s complete guide on salvage titles to learn more about how they work.
read full answer by John Miller, Credit Cards ModeratorIs it worth buying a car with a salvage title?
No, it is not worth buying a car with a salvage title because cars with salvage titles can be difficult to insure and are generally not eligible to be financed. A car that has a salvage title has previously been declared a total loss, so it may also require costly repairs before you can drive legally.
Before a salvage-title car can be legally driven, it must be repaired fully and inspected by a certified...
read full answer by WalletHub, Financial CompanyDid we answer your question?
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@DMV_Kathryn_A: A salvage certificate is issued after an insurance company declares your car a total loss, per the California DMV website: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/vehicle-industry-registration-procedures-manual-2/salvage-nonrepairable-junk-vehicles/salvage-certificate/. A car with a salvage certificate cannot be insured in California. Once the car has been rebuilt, inspected and deemed safe to drive on the road again, it will get a revived salvage title, according to the California DMV: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/new-registration/junk-revived-salvage-vehicles/. A vehicle with a revived salvage title can be insured in California. The actual title certificate may include the word “Salvage” under “Vehicle History” to show that the vehicle was once a salvaged car, but the document will have a blue border and won’t have “Salvage” in big letters at the bottom, unlike the red border a currently salvaged vehicle gets. Hopefully this helps clear things up. If you have further information to share, please let us know.
Both Candice and Milvionee are incorrect. In California, the DMV has clearly identified the correct legal terminology. A Salvaged TITLE is a fully operational title and legal to drive on the road. A Salvaged CERTIFICATE is a total loss that may not be registered to drive on the roadway. Here is a link. Sorry ladies, you are misinforming people. https://www.carinsurance.com/register-salvage-car-california.aspx Please do some research in the future so you don't mislead the public.
@vcvc8697: Thanks for sharing. Since a car with a salvage title is considered unsafe to drive, you will not be able to get an insurance policy for the car or drive it legally on public roads. You may be referring to a revived salvage title. A revived salvage-titled car has been rebuilt and restored to working condition and has been inspected by a certified mechanic. Unlike a salvage-titled car, a revived salvage-titled car is considered safe to drive on the road again and can be insured.