Salvage Cars Repairable

Salvage Cars Repairable

You've heard the term "salvage title" before...so what does it mean?

If collision damage estimates are in excess of 70-75% of a car's Kelly Blue Book value, insurance companies will consider the car a total loss and write it off. With body work being as expensive as it is, sometimes it doesn't take much body damage for an older vehicle to be considered a total loss. At that point, the insurance company will usually sell a car at a salvage auction. Individuals can place bids at salvage auctions; some bidders are professional rebuilders or dealers who buy the car low, then do the work and get a "restored salvage" title at the time of resale. Others are going to be ordinary mechanically-inclined guys who are interested in finding a project car.

The "restored salvage" designation doesn't apply to every state. Some states don't have salvage titles for vehicles:

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