rules insurance companies use to total cars?

[fiznat]

Hey I was wondering if anybody knew: does an insurance company ALWAYS total a car if the frame is bent in an accident? Is it possible to get in an accident that bends the frame, and have insurance pay for the repairs without totaling the car?

Lemmie know!

[Daunttless]

Generally speaking, if you do more than 66-75% of the cars worth in damage, or if it is structurally damaged beyond standard repair, it will be totaled.

[fiznat]

yeah I know that, but is frame damage generally considered "beyond repair" in general, since "frame repair" is pretty much known to never really return the car to its original shape?

[Nismo1182]

yeah I know that, but is frame damage generally considered "beyond repair" in general, since "frame repair" is pretty much known to never really return the car to its original shape?

not always, they can have the car fixed like Daunt said if it doesnt exceed 65-75% damage. They can put the car on a rack and straigten any minor frame damage.

[C-Kwik]

no. Frame damage is actually not hard to repair. Put the car on a frame rack and the shop basically pulls in the opposite direction(s) of the movements the frame went through when the accident occurred. Any good frame guy should be able to pull it back to the original specs. Sometimes with even better tolerances than it was when it left the factory. Cars with heavy frame damage usually total because of the extent of frame repair needed. Frame labor is usually double that of regular body labor. But even then, if the car has a high enough value, then as long as it;s not damaged beyond repair(crushed, torn, sheared off) usually it can be repaired.

[C-Kwik]

Generally speaking, if you do more than 66-75% of the cars worth in damage, or if it is structurally damaged beyond standard repair, it will be totaled.

I've seen ranges from 70-90%. I've also recently seen where they actually compare the repair costs to the Actual cash value plus tax(if required) less the salvage quote. Which is how it probably should be done in most cases.

[Daunttless]

I've seen as low as 2/3's on older vehicles here in Iowa, everywhere is a bit different though. : )