A $4,000 repair bill will sometimes “total” a $5,000 car (since the bill exceeds 75% of the car’s value), but the same repair bill will be covered by insurance in the case of a newer $20,000 car. The standards for totaling a car will depend on your insurer and sometimes upon state laws themselves.
Today, we’re going to take a deeper look into how totaled cars are valued, how much you can expect to get back for yours, and what’s involved if you decide to sell a wrecked car …
How Much Will I Get for my Totaled Car?
If you’re wondering “how much is my totaled car worth?” That will also depend on insurance valuations and other factors. Your insurer is obligated to provide you with the “replacement value of the car,” which is however much you’d pay to buy an exact copy of your car.
Of course, no two used cars are created equal, so your insurer will look at comparable sales, book value, and other determining factors like mileage and damage to decide how much you’re getting for your car. Sometimes you can dispute their assessment, but doing so can take a great deal of time and energy.
Instead, you’re often better off (and likely to get more money) by looking into the possibility of “owner retention.”
How to Sell a Wrecked Car for More Cash
When the insurance company pays you off for your totaled vehicle, they technically become the owner and usually take possession of the car. But in some cases, you’ll be able to elect for what’s called “owner retention,” and hang onto your old car. If your insurance company allows you to retain the vehicle, most states will require you to take possession and get a salvage title to replace your original vehicle title.
Why is this advantageous? Because they’re generally only going to deduct the salvage price of the vehicle from your payout when you choose to keep the car. Insurance companies are eager to scrap totaled cars as fast as they can, so they can move onto new business. But you might have spent years upgrading your vehicle, or paid for premium optional features that could net a higher price if you sell it on your own.
So instead of receiving $100-200 for the salvage value of your vehicle (since scrap metal prices are sitting near all-time lows) you could potentially net substantially more cash by selling the vehicle on your own.
What is the Value of my Totaled Car?
If you’re wondering “how much will I get for my totaled car?” But dealing with time crunch and have to make a decision quick, just use the online pricing tool here at WeBuyTotaledCars to get a guaranteed, no-obligation quote on the fair market value of your totaled car in just 90 seconds.
All you have to do is answer a few simple questions (include a few snapshots if possible) and you’ll get an instant offer. If you like what you see, just lock in your quote and we will send a tow truck out to pick up your vehicle in 24-48 hours and put payment in your hand. You can sell your car in as little as a day without ever having to leave the comfort of home.
There’s no obligation and we’ll never pressure you into making a sale, so you can get your totaled car estimated for free before you even decide what to do with it. Unlike local scrap yards, we won’t waste your time with lowball offers. We’ve appraised over a million vehicles in the last seven years, and our network of qualified buyers will make an offer on practically any make of car, truck, van or SUV regardless of damage or mileage.
Just click HERE to start with your free quote today!
It’s a Quick and Easy Process
Vehicle Details
Answer a few quick questions and provide a picture if you can.
Offer
In less than two minutes, you’ll have a guaranteed offer.
Accept
Accept the offer if you’re happy with it.
Get Paid
Within 24-48 hours, we will tow your car for FREE and pay you on the spot!
