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Is my car a total loss?

Enter your car’s actual cash value and the repair estimate — we’ll show you whether your insurer is likely to declare it a total loss. Most carriers total a vehicle once repair costs hit 70–80% of its pre-accident value.

What the vehicle was worth right before the accident.

The estimate from the body shop or insurance adjuster.

What happens next

If your car is totaled, here’s how it plays out

The path depends on your state, your insurer, and whether you want to keep the car or hand it over.

Option 1
Insurer takes the salvage

The insurance company pays you the actual cash value of the car and takes ownership of the wreck. They sell it to a salvage auction. You walk away with a check; the car is no longer yours.

Option 2
Keep the car (retained salvage)

Available in most states. The insurer pays you ACV minus the car’s salvage value, and you keep the vehicle with a salvage title. You can repair it (and pursue a rebuilt title) or sell it as-is for cash.

Option 3
Sell to a junk-car buyer

If you took the retained-salvage settlement, you can sell the car to us with a salvage title. We buy totaled vehicles every day — free tow, real offer in 90 seconds, paid on the spot.

State variation

The threshold varies by state

Most states use a flat percentage. A handful use the Total Loss Formula instead. Your insurer makes the final call, but knowing your state's rule helps you predict the outcome.

Flat-percentage states (most common)

The insurer totals the car when repair costs hit a fixed percentage of ACV. Common thresholds:

  • 70% — Iowa
  • 75% — Arkansas, Indiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Wisconsin (and many others by carrier policy)
  • 80% — Florida, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Oregon (carrier-policy default in many other states)
Total Loss Formula (TLF) states

Instead of a flat percentage, these states declare a total loss when Repair Cost + Salvage Value > ACV. The math is more forgiving on cheaper cars (low salvage value means the threshold is closer to 100% of ACV) and stricter on expensive ones.

TLF states include: Alabama, Colorado, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming, Texas (varies), Washington, D.C.

State and carrier rules change. Treat the lists above as a starting point — confirm the exact threshold with your insurer or your state department of insurance before making decisions.

FAQ

Total loss questions, answered

The questions sellers ask after their insurer declared the car a total loss.

What is a total loss?
A total loss happens when the cost to repair your vehicle exceeds a threshold set by your state and insurance company. The insurer pays out the car’s actual cash value (ACV) and takes ownership of the salvage. Each state and carrier sets the threshold a little differently — most fall between 70% and 80% of ACV.
How do you calculate a total loss?
The standard formula is Total Loss % = (Repair Cost ÷ Actual Cash Value) × 100. If the result is at or above your state’s threshold, the insurer will typically declare a total loss instead of paying for the repair. The calculator above runs the same math.
What's the threshold in my state?
Most states use a flat percentage, usually 70–80%. A handful of states use the Total Loss Formula (TLF)instead: Repair Cost + Salvage Value > Actual Cash Value. Either way, the insurer makes the final call. If you’re close to the line, ask your adjuster which rule they apply.
What is Actual Cash Value (ACV)?
ACV is what your car was worth in the open market the moment before the accident — not what you paid for it, and not what it would cost to replace. Insurers typically calculate ACV using comparable sales, Kelley Blue Book values, condition, mileage, and trim. You can push back on a low ACV with documentation (recent maintenance receipts, comparable listings).
My car was totaled. Can I keep it and sell it?
In most states, yes — it’s called a retained-salvage settlement. The insurer pays you ACV minus the salvage value, and you keep the car (with a salvage title). At that point you can sell the totaled car directly to a buyer like us. We buy salvage, rebuilt, and totaled vehicles every day. More on selling a salvage-titled car →
What if I don't agree with the insurer's repair estimate?
Get an independent estimate from a body shop you trust and submit it to your adjuster. The insurer’s estimate is a starting point, not the final word. If repair-cost numbers shift far enough, the total-loss decision can flip in either direction. Document everything in writing.
Will I owe money if my loan is more than the payout?
Possibly. If the loan balance exceeds the ACV payout, the gap (called “negative equity”) is yours to cover unless you have gap insurance. This is why gap coverage is worth it on financed vehicles in their first 2–3 years.

Got a totaled car? We’ll buy it.

Salvage title, rebuilt title, no title — we’ve seen it. Real offer in 90 seconds, free pickup, cash or check on the spot.

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