How do you transfer a title on a car you are keeping that was totaled by the insurance company after a deer hit the vehicle?

Answer 1

If you are keeping the car with the intention of repairing it yourself, you should be able to turn the title in to the DMV and get a non-highway title. Then when you have the car repaired, you will have to have the car inspected to show that it meets all safety requirements and get a "salvaged" title. The salvaged title will make the car harder to sell (unless you reduce the price well below blue book) and insurance companies will be reluctant to insure it. If it is an older car, some fairly minor body work could be enough to total it, and if the car still runs or minor repairs would make it driveable, I wouldn't do anything with the title. Just keep it registered and insured until you get it repaired. Unfortunately, every insurance company in the world seems to have access to every insurance claim, so they will still know it has been totaled, but you'll still have a normal title.