What Does It Mean When a Car Is Totaled?

Most people know someone who has had their car totaled. Though you might understand that this term implies a car is a “total loss,” you may be wondering what exactly that means, how it’s calculated and who makes that determination. It’s important for you to understand the basics of totaled vehicles and insurance claims so that you are prepared in the event that you are involved in an accident or collision. To ensure that your car has the best chance of getting repaired in a timely manner, it’s also important that you have the contact information for a local body shop and towing service in Visalia, CA on hand.

What is a total loss?

In a lot of cases, car collisions and accidents are minor enough that an insurance company will only need to pay several hundred dollars for minor repairs. However, some accidents are serious enough that an insurance company will have to determine whether a car is a total loss or not. A total loss means that the cost to repair a vehicle would be equivalent to or greater than the cost to replace the car entirely. This might seem pretty straightforward, but the actual process of determination can be a bit more complicated. For example, some states allow an insurer to use a lower threshold when they are evaluating whether a vehicle is totaled or not.

At first, you might think that this lower threshold of calling a vehicle a total loss is a benefit to you—after all, you will get a much larger check to replace your car than you would pay to have it repaired. However, there are other factors at play. Since an insurer has the right to take ownership of your car if it is found to be a total loss, they may be incentivized to claim that your vehicle is totaled in order to make some money from scrapping your car. Some people are shocked to find that their car is considered totaled, even though the damage that was sustained seems to be minor.

In order to safeguard yourself against an unfair insurance evaluation, it’s important that you know how to advocate for yourself. If you are surprised that your car is called a total loss, don’t be afraid to ask questions. You should have access to any relevant inspection reports or documentation, and you can look through this information to check for inconsistencies. You may also want to get additional repair quotes from body shops in your area, since this can reduce the estimate you receive for repairs and decrease the likelihood that your car will be considered a total loss.

Call for vehicle repairs or towing service in Visalia, CA

Nobody wants to be involved in a collision or accident, but the team here at Tom’s Body & Paint, Inc. is here to help you in the event of a crash. For nearly 40 years, we have been providing RV repair, fleet maintenance and more for vehicles of every make and model. We provide our customers with towing service that’s available 24/7 so you can feel confident that you will have the assistance you need when you need it. We are proud to work with all auto insurance companies so you don’t have to worry about being left with hefty charges. To find out more about all of our services, browse our website or contact us by phone today.

Categorised in: Collision Repair, Towing Service

This post was written by Writer