How do vehicle insurance companies typically dispose of totaled vehicles nowadays?

[Electromotive]

A friend of mine totaled her 2016 Kia Soul with approx. 65000 miles on it a couple weeks ago (hydroplaned into guardrail). She came out with only a few bruises. I have not had to deal with a motor vehicle accident claim in about 30 years thankfully. The insurance company, State Farm totaled the vehicle, and will issue her a check (the car loan was recently paid off, so she owned it outright). Repair estimate was around $8000, and the insurance company decided to total the vehicle, and she will get a check for approx. $9200, after her $500 deductible. How do insurance companies typically dispose of totaled vehicles nowadays?

 

[macarose]

Copart and Insurance Auto Auctions.

Coincidentally a family member had.a 2013 Kia Soul with the 2.0 Liter totaled this Wednesday.

It only has 38,000 miles and the side impact had no effect on the engine or transmission. I'm thinking about recycling the powertrain into one that has more options.

 

[GMBoy]

The go to auction and LKQ buys most of them.

 

[oldhp]

My 96 Lumina was totaled in Illinois and taken to my insurance co's total yard. It was sold to a body shop in Georgia, fixed, re-titled and sold as a NON-totaled car in Alabama. I tried to buy it back. Nope. Too new. If anybody doesn't think insurance companies and states aren't in cahoots with each other is dreaming. How do I know all this you ask? My insurance guy just told me.

 

[atikovi]

My 96 Lumina was totaled in Illinois and taken to my insurance co's total yard. It was sold to a body shop in Georgia, fixed, re-titled and sold as a NON-totaled car in Alabama. I tried to buy it back. Nope. Too new. If anybody doesn't think insurance companies and states aren't in cahoots with each other is dreaming. How do I know all this you ask? My insurance guy just told me.

Like 25 years ago? Things have changed since then. Insurance companies are pretty much required to get a salvage title on all totaled cars.

 

[oldhp]

Like 25 years ago? Things have changed since then. Insurance companies are pretty much required to get a salvage title on all totaled cars.

Nope, 2003.

 

[vpr5703]

The Mazda6 that I had was totalled out in Feb. It was sold at Copart in April.

https://www.copart.com/lot/41655054/2018-mazda-6-sport-va-richmond

 

[97prizm]

A friend of mine totaled her 2016 Kia Soul with approx. 65000 miles on it a couple weeks ago (hydroplaned into guardrail). She came out with only a few bruises. I have not had to deal with a motor vehicle accident claim in about 30 years thankfully. The insurance company, State Farm totaled the vehicle, and will issue her a check (the car loan was recently paid off, so she owned it outright). Repair estimate was around $8000, and the insurance company decided to total the vehicle, and she will get a check for approx. $9200, after her $500 deductible. How do insurance companies typically dispose of totaled vehicles nowadays?

Oddly enough many end up in foreign countries and are rebuilt. There is a really good NPR article and audio about on of the NPR producers getting an email from a vehicle rebuilder in Tajikistan. He had a wealthy client purchase a one-year-old Lexus RX350 with 7,000 miles on it. It was a salvage flood vehicle that was involved in the hurricane in New York City. The mechanic couldn't fathom why Americans would "throw out" such a nice vehicle. Apparently it ran. It needed the fluids replaced and was dirty. Tajikistan has a 100 percent import tax on new vehicles and apparently according to the mechanic a "list of approved colors. " The RX350 would have been close to $100K if purchased new.

 

[97prizm]

Like 25 years ago? Things have changed since then. Insurance companies are pretty much required to get a salvage title on all totaled cars.

If it's damaged bad enough insurance companies will issue a "certificate of destruction " which is a bummer as it more or less means they have to crush it.

 

[atikovi]

If it's damaged bad enough insurance companies will issue a "certificate of destruction " which is a bummer as it more or less means they have to crush it.

This guy rebuilds pretty crumpled ones,