FAQS About Total Loss Cars and Claims

When it comes to the claims process for a totaled car, policy holders tend to have a lot of questions and concerns. The best way to learn about your automotive insurance carrier’s claims process is to contact them directly and speak with a company agent. You can also scroll below to review some of the most frequently asked questions and answers about total loss junk cars and insurance claims.

Indianapolis Junk Car Buyers 317-608-2188
Indianapolis Junk Car Buyers 317-608-2188

What is a Total Loss Vehicle?

A vehicle is considered “totaled” when the cost to repair it back to its previous condition is more than the current value of the vehicle. Insurance companies and car manufacturers have stringent procedures and requisites in place to determine these values. With a totaled vehicle on your hands, you may feel like you are at a total loss; however, if you have insurance, you should be just fine depending on the level of coverage your policy provides.

Can I Keep a Totaled Car?

If you want to keep your totaled vehicle, you must inform your insurance company. In this case, you can expect to receive less money for the vehicle. If you were to accept money from the insurance company, and then keep your vehicle, you could be found guilty of insurance fraud depending on the specifics of your situation. Some policies allow people to keep their totaled vehicle, while others include language that does not permit this at all. So always check with your provider for details regarding your policy limits.

Do I Need to Remove My Totaled Car From My Insurance Policy?

Yes, you will need to eventually have a totaled car removed from your insurance policy. After all, you don’t need to cover a vehicle that will never be driven again. But make sure you wait until after you return your rental car and the title or lease of the totaled vehicle is no longer in your name. Again, check directly with your insurance carrier for details regarding your specific policy parameters.

Who Will Get the Insurance Settlement Payment for the Accident?

With full coverage insurance, you can expect to receive money from your insurance provider to repair the damages, or to settle the note with the lien holder and cover the cost of a new vehicle of equal current value. If you have liability coverage, you will mostly likely receive less from your insurance provider, and have to pay more out of pocket.

What Can I Do With a Totaled Car That is Not Covered?

If you do not have insurance, your best option is to junk the vehicle for cash, and apply your profit toward a new car purchase. You can do this by contacting a trusted junk car buyer and requesting a free phone estimate. If you accept their offer, they will usually come pick up your vehicle at no extra charge! Only reputable and highly professional junk car buying companies offer this kind of service.

Just Call Our Trusted Indiana Junk Car Buyers!

Call GC’s Junk Cars at 317-608-2188 to sell a junk car in Indianapolis to our reputable and honest Cash for Cars Company you can trust. We offer free towing with our in-house tow truck, so all you have to do is call and accept our offer! We will schedule a time to pick up your vehicle and pay you CASH ON THE SPOT! We accept all vehicles and motorized commodities, regardless of age or condition. Request a free estimate, today!

GC’s Junk Cars
GC’s Junk Cars 317-608-2188

Is My Car Totaled if the Engine Blew?

A blown car engine is a real thing; it is not just something you hear about in auto shop commercials and big screen comedies. An engine can blow for a number of reasons, but ultimately, it falls back on negligence. Continue reading to learn what you need to know about a blown car engine, including what can cause it, how to prevent it, and whether or not your car can be repaired.

Indianapolis Totaled Car Buyers 317-608-2188
Indianapolis Totaled Car Buyers 317-608-2188

Causes for a Blown Engine

When an engine blows, it means that it explodes. How does this happen? Well, the number one cause for a blown car engine is overheating. An excessive amount of heat produced in a car engine can be incredible detrimental to the vehicular systems, as well as, the safety of the occupants in your car.

As for the cause of overheating, there could be many possibilities. Common reasons why engines overheat include coolant leaks, lack of coolant, lack of motor oil, and similar fluid losses or leaks. To distinguish between a blown engine and an overheating one, you can examine the color of smoke it is producing. If the smoke has a blue hue, it is likely due to the oil burning in your engine, which indicates a blown engine. If the smoke is more like steam and white in color, it is likely a less expensive repair.

But that is the real question; can a blown engine be repaired? Or is a vehicle totaled once the engine explodes?

Well, the answer all depends on the car’s current market value, and whether or not it is worth paying thousands of dollars for a new engine, plus additional fees for professional installation. You see, if your car is only worth $4,000 on the market, but it costs $5,000 to repair the blown engine, your insurance company will deem your vehicle a total loss. On the other hand, if you have a new car that is worth $20,000 give or take, and it costs a total of $6,000 to repair, your car is not totaled.

What To Do With a Totaled Car

In most cases, automotive insurance carriers do not cover blown engines because it is considered a mechanical breakdown rather than a result of a covered car accident. If a car owner blows up their motor, it is not generally covered under any type of insurance policy, including liability, collision, and comprehensive. Of course, there may be exceptions for newer model vehicles.

So what can you do with your totaled car that you will not get any insurance money for? You can scrap it for cash at a local Indianapolis junk car company. They will pay you cash on the spot for your junk car, regardless of age, make, model, or condition. Just be sure to choose a reputable and experienced company that retains state of the art scales and similar technologies to render the best offer.

Trust Our Junk Car Buyers for the Best Deals!

Call GC’s Junk Cars at 317-608-2188 to sell a junk car for cash in Indianapolis, today! We have been buying junk cars throughout the Central Indiana area for several years. You will get the best price for your car because you are selling directly to the scrap yard! There is never a middle man, which means you walk away with more cash in your pocket. We buy all types of vehicles in all types of shape, running or not, and offer free towing and pick-up.

Want to Know What You Can Do With Your Totaled Car?

If you’ve just totaled your car, hopefully you are well and in full recovery. But now, you have a damaged asset on your hands. What can you do with a totaled vehicle besides hand it over to your insurance carrier? Well, the truth is, there are many alternatives to accepting the insurance payout from your policy. Continue reading to learn what all you can do with a totaled vehicle.

Indianapolis Junk Car Buyers 317-608-2188
Indianapolis Junk Car Buyers 317-608-2188

☑ Repair

There are many cases in which an insurance company deems a car totaled because it costs more than 51% of the total cash value to repair it back to its original condition, yet, it is still repairable as a luxury or modern vehicle. You see, just because it is too much for the insurance company to pay to repair it, it may not be for you. You might decide that your 2018 Mercedes should be repaired rather than totaled out. The same theory applies to other luxury or newer vehicles that can be totaled as a result of something small, like a catalytic converter or cosmetic damage. Keep in mind, you have to get a rebuilt title and prove the car roadworthy. Otherwise, many automotive insurance carriers will not insure a rebuilt vehicle.

☑ Donate

If you want to be philanthropic, it would make sense to donate your totaled vehicle. Not only is this charitable, most automotive donation organizations will tow your vehicle away for free. Best of all, you will get certain tax deductions for the depreciated value of the car you donate. Keep in mind, you would have to first buy back the car from your insurance carrier before giving it away to a charity. In this case, your insurance carrier would deduct the vehicle’s salvage value, which generally hovers around a few hundred dollars, plus any policy deductible if the accident was your fault. In the end, you would get a check for the remainder, plus a salvage title.

☑ Sell

The most popular and lucrative option for a totaled car is to keep it, and then sell it to a local salvage yard for cash. As mentioned, if you decide to keep your totaled vehicle, you will have to first have to get a salved titled through your insurance carrier. Once you have the title and your vehicle is no longer insured under the carrier, you can choose a reputable Indianapolis junk car buyer to do business with. They will haul your car away for free, plus pay you cash on the spot. Just be sure you have the title, otherwise, it can be difficult finding a cash for cars company to do business with in the first place.

Indianapolis Junk Car Buyers at Your Service

Cash for Junk Cars 317-608-2188
Cash for Junk Cars 317-608-2188

Call GC’s Junk Cars at 317-608-2188 to sell your totaled car for cash in Indianapolis. We offer free towing with our in-house tow truck, so all you have to do is call and accept our offer! We will schedule a time to pick up your vehicle and pay you cash. No title? No problem! Give us a call anyway! Call 317-608-2188 to request a free estimate, today.