What happens to cars that are totaled?

When your car is a total loss, it means the cost to repair the car exceeds the value of the car. If your car is declared a total loss your insurer may replace your totaled car with an equivalent one or issue payment for the actual cash value of the totaled vehicle.… read full answer

Once you file a claim, the insurance company will determine whether the car is a total loss. Depending on your state’s laws, your car may be totaled if the cost of repairs exceeds a certain percentage of the car’s value, such as 75%. If your state does not have a specific total loss threshold, your vehicle will be considered a total loss if the cost of repairs plus the salvage value is greater than the car’s actual cash value (ACV).

Insurance Payout for a Total Loss Claim

For a car that was totaled by an accident, you will be reimbursed by the other driver’s property damage liability insurance if they were at-fault or your own collision insurance if you caused the wreck.

If the damage was caused by something other than an accident, like vandalism or a natural disaster, you can receive a total loss payout from your own comprehensive coverage.

What to Do If Your Car Is a Total Loss

• If you think the insurer undervalued your car, you can present evidence and negotiate.

• You will likely need to send your insurance company your keys, remove your license plates and personal items from the car, and sign over the title.

• If your car was leased or financed and you have gap insurance or loan/lease payoff coverage, file a claim.

For more information, check out WalletHub’s complete guide to totaled cars.

Yes, an insurance company can force you to total your car because state laws regulate when cars need to be totaled. Your only option is to negotiate with your insurer about the car’s value, as convincing the insurer to adjust the value might affect whether the car has to be totaled according to state law.… read full answer

When an Insurance Company Can Total Your Car

Cars are totaled when the cost of repairs exceeds either the vehicle's pre-crash value or a specific total loss threshold established by the state. For instance, in New York, a car is considered totaled if the cost of repairs is more than 75% of the vehicle’s actual cash value (ACV). Total loss threshold laws account for the fact that damage is often more extensive than it first appears.

It’s also important to note that the ACV is not the price you paid for the car. Instead, the ACV is an approximation of the car’s worth just before it was damaged, so it factors in things like depreciation and mileage.

What You Can Do If Your Insurance Company Wants to Total Your Car

Even if you don’t want your insurer to total your car, you can’t argue with your state’s total loss threshold or ask the insurer to use a different system. However, you can argue that your car was worth more than the ACV chosen by the insurer.

Just bear in mind that you cannot simply choose an estimate based on your own opinion. Instead, you need to provide justification for your estimate of the car’s value, such as an independent appraisal, photographs of upgrades or modifications you made to the car, and/or the prices of comparable vehicles for sale in the area.

If the insurer does not agree with your statements regarding the car’s ACV, you can reach out to your state’s insurance regulator for help. You can also seek arbitration or litigation, though legal fees are likely to decrease or even negate any monetary gains that you make.

If your car is totaled and you’re not at fault, you should file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company and report the accident to your own insurer as well. The other driver’s property damage liability coverage will reimburse you for your car’s actual cash value up to their policy limits. … read full answerActual cash value, or ACV, is the amount the car was worth immediately before the accident.

Claim Options if Your Car Is Totaled but You're Not At-Fault

In the event that the other driver does not have insurance, you can file a claim with your uninsured motorist or collision coverage, if you have it. You can also file a collision claim if the other driver refuses to admit fault. In this case, the insurance companies will eventually determine who is responsible. Then, your insurer will recoup the cost of your collision claim and deductible in a process called subrogation.

How Insurance Companies Determine if Your Car Is Totaled

Insurance companies decide if a car is totaled by comparing the cost of repairs to the car’s value. Exact formulas vary by state and insurance company. However, it’s worth noting that repairs are often more extensive than they appear, and even a small accident can sometimes total a vehicle.