How to Get Back a Total Loss Car
If you've been in an accident, your insurance company--or the insurance of the other motorist--might decide to write your car off as a total loss. Cars can be "totaled" for several reasons: It is damaged beyond repair, or the age and overall value of the car might be less than the cost of fixing it. If the latter is true, then you might be able to get that totaled car back.
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Instructions
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Request that you be allowed to keep the car early in the insurance settlement process. Though this is not a guarantee that the insurance company will resell the vehicle to you, the process is easier if you ask for the vehicle before it is sent to auction.
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Research the value of your car if it had not been damaged. Look up the suggested asking price in the Kelly Blue Book (www.kbb.com) and the actual price at the websites edmunds.com and nada.com. This will give you an accurate assessment of the amount the insurance company will offer as a settlement for your claim if you decide not to buy back the car.
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Learn the state laws concerning buying back vehicles. Some states do not allow the owner to buy back the vehicle from the insurance carrier. Exceptions to this rule include vehicles that have been damaged by hail and ones that are older than nine years.
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Consult a lawyer. Some insurance companies might not want to sell back your salvaged vehicle if the price of the settlement is less than the insurance company can expect to receive for the car at auction. A lawyer can examine your agreement with the insurance company and tell if you have the right to your salvaged car under the terms of that agreement.
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Check into re-buying the car at auction. Most insurance auctions are not open to public buyers. However, if you know someone with a salvage license, perhaps you can persuade him to help you re-purchase the vehicle. Be aware that once your car is up for auction, it will go to the highest bidder, and the price might be more than your insurance company paid you for the car.
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