Accidents: Is it Totaled or Salvageable?
Accidents occur everyday! The same ground that you walk on, miles away, is the same ground where a vehicle becomes involved in an accident. This is the result of the negligence of one, sometimes multiple, drivers. Something required when driving is to have proper car insurance. Your car insurance company is required to cover damages that may occur in accidents, usually you would pay a deductible and your car insurance company takes care of the rest.
When a vehicle is in an accident, no matter how big or small the damage, your insurance company decides whether or not your vehicle is repairable or will be claimed as totaled. Sometimes because of a vehicles age a vehicle can be claimed as totaled with minimal damage and these are the vehicles that can become salvaged. In-turn it depends on the vehicles worth and how much your insurance company has to pay to repair your vehicle. Typically, new vehicles are rarely claimed as totaled unless the vehicle is beyond repair. This is because in most cases your pay out would cost less then it would be to restore your damaged vehicle.
After a vehicle is claimed as totaled the vehicle evaluated and decision is made whether or not to salvage the vehicle or bring it to a “junkyard,” where the vehicle is either crushed and recycled or broken down and used for parts for the company to sell. Now vehicles can become salvaged vehicles; vehicles that have been involved in an accident that can be repaired, however, your insurance company would rather pay your vehicle off then fix the vehicle. In which case the vehicle can be sold from your insurance company as-is for another person to purchase and repair out of pocket or sold at auctions for as much as the insurance company can procure.
Salvaged vehicles are usually vehicles that are affordable for smaller car dealerships to repair and resell or in some instances for individuals to restore and use as their means of transportation. Overall, your auto insurance company is going to do what is best for both parties financially to either salvage, repair and return, or claim your vehicle as totaled in the event of an accident. Either way wear your seat belt every time you get into a vehicle and be sure to always drive safe.