Candace Baker, Car Insurance Writer
@candacebaker
No, you cannot insure a car with a salvage title in Washington. Salvage vehicles are cars that have been declared a total loss, meaning they’re too damaged to be worth repairing and cannot be driven legally, so no legitimate car insurance company writes policies for them.
How to Qualify for Insurance
Although insurance companies in Washington won’t insure a car with a current salvage title, you can get coverage if you have the vehicle repaired and inspected by a state-certified mechanic. If it’s declared safe to drive, the DMV will issue the car a rebuilt title. Several insurance companies, including Allstate and Geico, sell policies for vehicles with a rebuilt title.
Coverage Limitations
Keep in mind that some insurers will only sell liability insurance for rebuilt cars, meaning they won’t pay for any physical damage to the vehicle. Even if you are able to get collision and comprehensive insurance, your policy may not cover the full value of the car if it’s totaled again. Additionally, insurance for a rebuilt car may be more expensive than insurance for a standard vehicle.
To learn more, check out WalletHub’s guide to salvage titles.
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 answerWhy are salvage titles bad?
The vehicle most likely was heavily damaged in an accident and sustained frame damage. The vehicle might perform poorly in any subsequent accidents and sustain heavier and more unpredictable damage than the vehicle was originally insured for.
read full answerIs 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 answerDid we answer your question?