How Do You Know If You Can Buy Back A Totaled Car?

Accidents can cause people stress and money. If your vehicle has been totaled, you may decide that you're interested in purchasing it back from your insurance provider. This is the information you need to know about the process.

When Is A Car Considered Total Loss?

To an auto insurance company, a totaled car is one that is considered to be a total loss to the automobile insurance company. If you are involved in a car accident and the total cost to repair your vehicle is more than the car is worth, the insurance company may declare your car to be a total loss. The car insurance company will then offer a payment for what they have determined to be this loss amount, rather than paying the higher price to repair the vehicle involved in the accident.

In some cases, the auto insurance provider will offer you less than what you think your vehicle is worth. If this happens, you may need to negotiate with the car insurance company to try and get more money for your vehicle. Sometimes it makes sense to get a lawyer involved in this process. You will want to do your own research, and possibly talk to professionals as well, to get a fair value for your vehicle. Once this process is complete, the car involved in the accident most often goes to a salvage yard or auction. Here, the car is most often auctioned and goes to the highest bidder. People purchase totaled vehicles from auctions mainly for the parts. Your insurance provider will often keep the proceeds from this sale. Some vehicle owners decide that they would like to keep their damaged vehicles. This can be for many reasons, including parts for the replacement vehicle they purchased with the payout on their claim if it is the same make, model, and year as their previous vehicle.

Can I Keep a Totaled Car?

Drivers can often keep their damaged vehicles, and in some cases, the insurance companies will forgo the auction process altogether. This is most common if the car is over a decade old but sometimes happens with more recent vehicles. The auto insurance company will generally deduct the amount the car would have brought at the auction, which is the salvage value of the vehicle, from your payout. This is considered repurchasing the car.

Some states have laws against totaled vehicles being brought back by individuals. In these situations, the guidelines of the insurance company providing your policy will outline whether or not the vehicle could be sold back to you. The guidelines will also offer some company are used to determine the salvage value of the vehicle.

Several insurance providers allow vehicle owners to purchase the totaled vehicle even if they are looking to repair it and make it roadworthy again. You will need to inform your insurance provider that you want your vehicle back straight away if this is the case. Once the car makes it to the salvage yard, it is highly unlikely you will be able to get it back. Only auto salvagers that are licensed to attend are allowed to go to most of these actions.

How Can I Buy Back My Totaled Car?

If you are looking to purchase back your totaled vehicle, you will need to let your insurance agency know as soon as you can. Once the vehicle is moved to the salvage yard, you may not be able to get it back again. Your insurance provider will let you know what the salvage value of the vehicle is, according to their calculations. There will be paperwork involved in the process, but in many cases, depending on the insurance company, you will be able to purchase back your totaled vehicle with relative ease. Keep in mind that some states do not allow individuals to purchase vehicles that have been deemed a total loss.

How Much To Buy Back A Totaled Car From Insurance For?

There many factors to make a note of when looking to purchase a total vehicle from insurance. First, the time and expense it takes to get the vehicle street legal again may not be worth it. There may be a number of requirements you need to satisfy in order to make this happen, which also might not be worth the time. It is possible you will need to get a salvage title or vehicle inspection before using it on the road again. Plus, many insurance companies will not insure a vehicle with a salvage title due to the risk. These are all factors that play into whether you should buy a totaled car, and how much you might purchase it for.