Understanding the Difference Between Total Loss and Salvage Vehicles

Nowhere is the difference between ‘knowing’ something and ‘understanding’ something more evident than when it comes to the relationship between ‘totaling a vehicle’ for insurance purposes and the concept of salvage vehicles under state law.

Everybody knows what it means to ‘total’ a vehicle.

But very few people actually understand the relationship between a totaled vehicle and state law regarding when such a vehicle can be titled and driven on public roads.

Because these concepts play a key role in understanding collision losses and subsequent subrogation efforts, we pull back the curtains on these mystical terms in this article.