Can you ask an insurance company to total your car? (Details for 2025)

Can you ask an insurance company to total your car? Yes, but they may choose not to total your car if damages aren’t extensive.

First, you need to understand what totaling a car really means in order to make the best decision. Keep reading to find out how to total a car for insurance, how to use a totaled car value calculator, and what your options are if insurance won’t total your car.

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Asking Insurance to Total Your Car

Can I ask insurance to total my car? Yes, but if you are wondering how to get insurance to total your car, it all depends on the amount of damage. Some accidents only cause a scratch that can easily be fixed, while others are severe and may destroy the vehicle beyond repair. So, what makes a car totaled?

A totaled vehicle is one that is so severely damaged that the cost of repairing it is likely to exceed the auto’s actual cash value (ACV).

The AVC is the value of the car at the time of the loss, which considers the vehicle’s depreciation, age, and current condition (Read More: How do insurance adjusters determine the value of a car?).

Sometimes, the insurance company chooses to total a car even if the repair costs quoted are less than its actual cash value.

That happens when the true extent of damage is unknown and the car insurance company is not willing to risk more financial losses later on.

Various states have different ACV thresholds that determine when a car can be totaled. However, an insurance company could choose to use its own formula for totaling a car and calculating its total loss threshold.

You may need to research or ask the insurer what they consider during this process. If you want to total your car and the insurance company does not agree, you have the option to appeal their decision, but it’s ultimately not in your power to decide.

If you want help with how to fight an insurance company for a totaled car, consider reaching out to an experienced lawyer for assistance.

How to Dispute a Total Loss Decision With Your Insurer

Can you fight your insurance company to total your car? If you feel that your car should be totaled because the money the insurer has paid out is less than what it would cost to repair it, you can dispute the compensation.

If the insurer agrees with you, you will receive the additional payout. If the company declines, you can file a complaint with your state’s insurance board or use a third-party arbitrator to solve the matter.

If that fails, you can sue with the help of an attorney specializing in auto insurance (Learn More: How to Dispute an Auto Insurance Claim).

What to Do With a Totaled Car

You can keep a totaled vehicle or sell it at a salvage car auction. Alternatively, you could sell it for spare parts. These options work best if you have no car insurance. If your insurance company has paid your claim for the totaled car, you can’t keep it. You may negotiate with the insurer to keep the car, but you won’t get both a check for the value of the car and the car as well.

Read More: Can I keep my car if the insurance company totals it?

However, if the insurance totals your car, you may be required to transfer the ownership to them so they can auction it with a salvage title.

Want to know how to get a new car after a total loss? It is best to wait until you have your settlement check from your totaled vehicle to start shopping for a new vehicle.

How to Get Compensated After an Accident

Remember, if you file a car insurance claim, your premiums are likely to increase in the future, so be sure to think about that when trying to get compensated.

Once your car has been involved in an accident, check your insurance policy to determine the timeline you should adhere to when making a diminished value claim. Below are the steps you should take to ensure your insurer caters to the car damage costs.

1. File Claim: Start by filing a claim online, in person, or by phone. It depends on the contact information your auto insurer has provided you. If there is a mobile app, use that.
2. Provide Evidence: Ensure you provide evidence of the accident, including photos of the accident scene and police reports.
3. Work With Adjuster: Once you file a claim, an insurance adjuster will be assigned to you to judge vehicle damage, estimate repair costs, and determine whether your car should be repaired or totaled.
4. Negotiate If Needed: Provide supporting evidence, such as title fees, sales tax, and additional vehicle features the appraisal did not include, to try to negotiate for additional costs if your car is totaled.

If your insurance covers rental car expenses, request one for the period that you wait for your claim to be processed. Make sure to keep track of the claim status and call for updates if delays occur.

Insurance Coverage That Helps if Your Car Is Totaled

There are several coverages that will help you if your vehicle is totaled. Take a look at some helpful coverage below.

• Full Coverage: Includes collision and comprehensive, which help with costs if there is damage to your vehicle that requires your policy to pay for the expenses.
• Gap Coverage: Gap insurance covers the difference between what is left on your loan and what you received for the totaled car.
• New Car Replacement Coverage: Your totaled car will be replaced by one of the same make and model if totaled. Your car must often be under a year old to qualify for this coverage.

If you have a new vehicle, carrying gap coverage will help you receive the best payout. It is often affordable, as you can see by looking at gap insurance rates at popular companies below.

Gap Insurance Monthly Rates by Coverage Level & Provider

Other coverages will also help pay accident costs. If the other driver is at fault, their liability insurance will likely cover the accident costs (Learn More: Cheapest Liability-Only Auto Insurance).

Totaling a Car Depends on Many Factors

So, can you ask insurance to total your car? Various factors will determine whether your car gets totaled or not. But you are free to negotiate for more compensation. However, if you attach sentimental value to your vehicle, it would be best to fix it instead of asking for it to be totaled.

Learn More: What happens if you total your car with no insurance?

Alternatively, you can keep it after it is totaled and accept less compensation in lieu of what the insurer would have gotten by selling it as a salvage-title vehicle. Remember that your auto loan lender will get compensated first in order to cover the debt you owe. You will receive the remainder of the insurance payout.

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