Gilbert, Arizona Sales: 833-456-4185 Customer Service: 602-837-0360
Co Springs, Colorado Sales: 855-978-6276 Customer Service: 719-960-0222
Windsor, Colorado Sales: 855-624-7770 Customer Service: 970-795-8288
Clearwater, Florida Sales: (833) 247-6772 Customer Service: 727-516-6022
Boise, Idaho Sales: 844-635-2408 Customer Service: 208-992-4355
Post Falls, Idaho Sales: 833-653-0118 Customer Service: 208-618-8927
Fishers, Indiana Sales: (888) 991-0258 Customer Service: 463-673-1505
Merrillville, Indiana Sales: 844-238-6252 Customer Service: 219-387-0330
Las Vegas, Nevada Sales: 855-975-4595 Customer Service: 702-570-8427
Reno, Nevada Sales: 833-221-7889 Customer Service: 775-524-4545
Santa Fe, New Mexico Sales: 833-605-2526 Customer Service: 505-216-2480
Duncanville, Texas Sales: 833-370-2140 Customer Service: 945-351-4004
Fort Worth, Texas Sales: 833-261-1502 Customer Service: 682-383-3769
Houston Northwest, Texas Sales: 833-344-0751 Customer Service: 346-839-1721
Houston Southwest, Texas Sales: 833-483-2022 Customer Service: 346-839-1714
Richardson, Texas Sales: 833-301-9964 Customer Service: 469-991-4164
San Antonio, Texas Sales: (833) 417-4037 Customer Service: 726-610-8280
Draper, Utah Sales: 888-822-7703 Customer Service: 385-351-4089
Lindon, Utah Sales: 855-975-4490 Customer Service: 385-440-0525
Woods Cross, Utah Sales: 855-996-5822 Customer Service: 385-489-0480

What is a Total Loss Vehicle?

Woman with clipboard evaluating a car

A total loss vehicle has undergone an insurance incident and been deemed to have less residual value than the cost of repairs. In some cases, the maze of insurance regulations means that even vehicles that would cost less to repair than they’re worth can be deemed a total loss. To make matters more complicated, most insurance agencies have completely unique protocols for deeming cars as a total loss — and if that wasn’t enough, each state has its own insurance laws.

What’s the key takeaway here? There are a lot of perfectly good vehicles sitting in salvage lots for reasons that only lawyers will understand.


Where Does AutoSavvy Fit In?

At AutoSavvy, we scour salvage lots across the Southwest and find vehicles that have been deemed a “Total Loss” by insurance agencies. We then restore them to excellent condition and sell them to drivers in Salt Lake City and all over the country. Restored Total Loss vehicles are one of the best ways to save on high-quality vehicles.

Read on to learn about how a vehicle is deemed a total loss. We think you’ll be surprised by just how many of the rules of what determines if a car is a total loss are purely bureaucratic. If you want to learn more, reach out. Whether you’re from Denver, CO or Las Vegas, NV, there’s likely an AutoSavvy dealership near you, ready to help you save big on total loss vehicles in great condition!


What Factors Determine if a Vehicle is a Total Loss?

As we mentioned earlier, how a vehicle is determined a total loss can be very complicated due to both state regulations and insurance agency policies. The unifying principle is that the cost to repair a vehicle has exceeded its total value. That said, there are plenty of exceptions.

Say that you’re driving an older vehicle, you get into an accident, and the cost of repairs make up 75% of the vehicle’s value. Many insurance agencies will go ahead and total this car. That’s because each state has specific laws about the allowable loss of value a car can experience before it’s designated a salvage title vehicle. This is called the Total Loss Threshold. Because of this factor, insurance agencies will add the Total Loss Threshold (legal salvage value) to the cost of repairs to see if it is greater than the actual cash value of the car. If it isn’t, the vehicle is “totaled.”

Cost of Repair + Salvage Value > Actual Cash Value

As we mentioned, previously, there are many “totaled” vehicles out there that are driveable, and cost-effectively repairable in the right hands. That’s where AutoSavvy comes in.

We efficiently and effectively restore total loss vehicles to excellent condition and pass the savings onto you and your family in the form of a safe vehicle that will last you for years to come.


Come to AutoSavvy to Take a Test Drive

Now that you know what a total loss vehicle is and what determines if a car is a total loss, you can explore our inventory of branded title vehicles, fill out a pre-approval, or contact us online with any questions. Have questions unrelated to how a vehicle is deemed a total loss? We can answer those too. You can also explore our library of helpful guides on popular topics about branded title vehicles. We cover everything from the types of hail damage to everything you need to know about rebuilt titles and more!

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