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You can call some salvage or wrecking yards in your area and ask what they are willing to pay you for the totaled car. It is best to call several wrecking yards and then average the price they offer you. A reasonable estimate is 15-20% of the retail value of the vehicle at the time of loss. Keep in mind that a vehicle totaled due to front end damage will have a lower salvage value than the same vehicle totaled due to a rear impact.
A salvage yard will often pay you more than a scrap yard. It just depends on how badly damaged the vehicle is and what parts may be reusable. Salvage yards attempt to salvage usable parts that can be resold as is to body shops, mechanics and individuals and then the remainder is crushed and sold to be melted down. A scrap yard will generally only offer you based on the weight of the metal because they are just going to crush it all down to be sold as raw metal for recycle.
All insurance companies have different formulas and conditions for paying out on a total loss. For instance, I know of a few companies in Illinois that will formulate a value at time of loss based on the following factors: car's condition before the accident, current blue book value, current dealer re-sale prices, current salvage values, and current newspaper listing prices. Taking all these sources of info into consideration, it is difficult to say the least to compose a salvage value, until the actual time of loss, and after an adjuster examines the damaged vehicle.
There are some insurance companies out there that will not do what is right toward you, but the right companies will be fair and reasonable to you. For instance, I know that The Hartford asks you what the condition of your car was prior to the accident, the adjuster who goes out to look at the vehicle looks at any prior damage on the vehicle and any mechanical malfunctions. They then go on the market (Auto Trader is used commonly) and search for vehicles in the same category condition and base your vehicles value on that value. They then retain the salvage. I know however that if you choose to keep your salvage title, they take the market value of the car and subtract with the salvage value and that's the money you get along with keeping your car. The main point of giving you market value is so that you can go out and buy the same exact car in the same condition as your vehicle was prior to the loss. In conclusion, there are some fair companies out there. It's the consumers sometimes that keep trying to take more because they see a no fault auto accident as a way to make money.
If you think you are being low balled by the insurance company than you may invoke the policy section where disagreements about settlement value can result in an independent appraisal/mediation. You will have to pay half of the fee for this, though.
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What is the salvage value for old auto's?
Depends on the car. If it's totaled and not driveable, probaby 10-20% of the value of a comparable clean car.
Do you have a right to retain a totaled vehicle for salvage value or can insurance carrier require you to give them car?
Yes, you have the right to retain you car at salvage price at time of settlement.
How is the value of a totaled car figured?
The cars are usually put up for bid and various salvage yards and independants bid on them. Highest bid gets the car.
You bought a used car and when you tried to trade it in they said it has a salvage title six months after you bought the car?
That means that at some point the car was wrecked so severely that the cost to repair it exceeded 75% of the value of the car. The car was therefore totaled and sold to a salvage yard. The salvage yard sold the car to someone who repaired it and sold it with the required salvage title. You should have noticed the salvage title when you bought the car.
Can a car loan be refinanced even if the car was totaled to get lower interest?
Unlikely. Most lenders will not loan against a "salvage" or "rebuilt" vehicle. The only time I've seen this done is when the loan is less than 50% of the "salvage" value of the car. For example, if the car in normal condition was worth $20,000, the salvage value would be about $10,000. A lender may be willing to loan $5,000 in this situation. Find out what car dealers don't want you to know at www.dealertricks.com
How do you get a clear title in Florida And How much does a salve vehicle title markdown the price?
Once a salvage always a salvage or totaled/reconstructed; you cannot legally get a clear title the brand will remain. A reconstructed and roadworthy salvage car is worth 60% of the value of a comparable clean titled car. If it's still salvage maybe 25% of the value of a comparable clean titled car.
What happens to a totaled car after the insurance co pays you for it?
Some insurance companies will sell the car back to the owner. Others sell the totaled car to a salvage yard.
What is vehicle salvage?
When a car is in an accident and the repairs exceed 75% of the car's value, insurance companies total the car out, pay the owner and take possession of the car. They then resell it (usually though an auction) as salvage. The title is rebranded as such so if the car is rebuilt buyers will know it's been totaled.
If your insurance company says your car is a total loss but you want to have it fixed can they charge you a salvage fee to keep your own car?
Any vehicle, whether a total loss or not, has a value. A totaled vehicle, of course, has a significantly lesser value (assuming the actual total loss has already been settled with the vehicle owner). This value can be anywhere from 5 - 25% of the pre-loss value of the vehicle. If you decide to keep a totaled vehicle after settling with an insurance carrier, they can legally remove the salvage value from your settlement. It shouldn't be much, and you can request that they actually get a salvage quote from a salvage yard. The idea behind this is that you can't legally profit from a loss. In your case, if your totaled vehicle has a salvage value, and you're keeping the vehicle, the insurance carrier must deduct that salvage value. Otherwise, you will get a full settlement, and still retain a vehicle with some value. But...try working with the carrier on what that salvage amount is going to be. Sometimes they'll adjust it to get the loss settled, since you never "really" know what the salvage value is going to be until the vehicle is sold at a salvage yard auction.
What happens to a car that's declared totaled by the insurance company?
If you want to keep a totaled car, the insurance company will determine the salvage value and deduct that from your settlement check. You can still get liability insurance (if there are no safety issues related to the damage), but not collision or comprehensive unless you have the repairs made.
Hi you were in an accident two years ago your car had front end damaged that was fixed professionally by a reputable dealer your vehicle runs and looks like new Is your car still a salvage vehicle?
Once a salvage title is given to a car it remains a salvage or totaled/reconstructed car. It will never legally have a clean title again. This assumes the damage was reported to an insurance company and they totaled/paid out on the car.
If your car is totaled do you get your registration back?
yes- unless you agree to accept salvage as part of your settlement in which case the insuror transfers ownership to salvage company
