How is a car that has been in an accident determined a "total loss" ?

waplambadoobatawhopbamboo

To answer your question, you have to find damage due to the accident the insurance company overlooked and call it to their attention. Get your own body man to locate that damage for you.

Also you have to insist on a quality repair using correct components under the argument that safety is compromised if it is not repaired correctly: you do not want to risk an accident because of their inadequate repair. Again, your own independent body man will assist you there.

magnumsrt8

Totalled is usually any damage over 80 to 85% of the cost to replace. I don't think you will have much luck getting the adjustor to write the vehicle off with the figures you have shown.

Coming from experience as my father-in-law owns and runs 2 autobody shops. I have seen some pretty messed up vehicles that they actually repair!

bostonianinmo

You don't.

A vehicle is normally totalled when the cost of repairs exceeds about 80% of the fair market value of the vehicle. If the value is $16,000 then repairs would have to exceed about $12,800 for the insurance company to write it off.

Since the damages are only $9,000 there's no way that they'll total it.

allamericanred2

not goin to happen you are not even at the 50% value mark-- but you can always protest it via teh adjuster and see wht happens..

oklatom

Insurance companies have a way of telling, and they aren't open about sharing it. Basically they look at the dollar amount it would take to repair the vehicle, and the age and mileage of the vehicle. It it would cost more to fix than the worth of the vehicle, only then would they decide to total it. In your case with $9,000 damage on a vehicle worth at least $16,000, why would they give you $16,000 to total it when it could be fixed for 9? Not likely they will total it.

johnny

most insurance company's say a car is totaled when the damage is 75% of the cars retail value some times the % is more check with the insurance company . you might consider selling the car smashed to some body shop or someone who can fix it ,so if you keep the insurance check for the repair and whatever you want for the car you might make out OK good luck

Tunka

The insurance company will not total out the vehicle because the damages did not reach the threshold of 75 to 80% of the market value of that vehicle for the area you live in. The estimate the adjuster has done is preliminary, and if your vehicle is still in the repair process it can still be totalled because when the shop breaks down your vehicle they may find additional damage and at that point they will call the auto damage adjuster to go reinspect the car and if the additional damages put the damages over the threshold then the adjuster may total it out.

mrsunshine88

Insurance companies have a scale of value to measue against. If the damage to your car excedes roughly 70% of its value it is usually totaled. That percentage varies acording to year and value. but usually about 70%.

Fred S

a total loss is the damage is more than the value of the car
in your case the car is worth more than the damage

man_of_mustard

When it would cost more to repair the car than it would to buy a new (used) one.

Kraftee

When the cost to repair exceeds the value of the car, it's a total loss.

Keith B

Burn the car. That usually does it.

kaydeeneysa

the insurance companies will usually "total" the vehicle if there is frame damage or if the airbags have deployed. not always though. it has to cost more to fix the car than to replace it. try getting a second repair estimate.

The answer guy

In most states, you have the right to hire your own appraiser to look at the car and dispute the adjuster's estimate. They usually charge a hundred bucks or so. Make sure you get full documentation.

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