What is Salvage title?

Can You Get Insurance for Salvage Cars for Sale?

By Mike Richards Updated: 05/23/2019 Posted: 05/25/2017

While buying a salvage car is easy on your budget, many people avoid doing so because they’re worried about being unable to purchase insurance. If you’re in the same boat, let’s tackle that question now.

The Short Answer

The short, simple answer is that yes, you can get insurance for salvage cars for sale. However, it’s still worth reading the rest of this article because there are some important technicalities to understand.

Understanding the Term “Salvage Car”

One reason people often think they can’t get insurance for salvage cars for sale is because they don’t understand the term.

A salvage car receives this legal designation when it is issued a “salvage title.” This title denotes a vehicle that is considered a total loss by the insurance company that issued a policy for it.

That being said, the criterion for this determination differs by state.

It should also be noted that insurance companies may give up on a vehicle for a number of different reasons. “Salvage” doesn’t automatically mean that the car is completely totaled and never going to work again.

“Unrepairable”

One more distinction worth bringing up here to better help you understand why people think you can’t get insurance salvage cars for sale is that these vehicles aren’t “unrepairable.”

That’s another legal designation and that one is literal. If the government says a vehicle is “unrepairable”, it can only be sold for parts or scrap metal. As such, they cannot be driven or have an insurance policy issued for them.

Why It’s Tough to Get Insurance for Salvage Cars for Sale

Now, once again, the rules regarding obtaining insurance for salvage cars for sale will differ by state.

For the most part, though, you’ll have to get repairs done on your vehicle before it’s going to be legal to drive it. No insurance company is going to touch it, either.

There are also some insurance companies that will simply never insure these types of vehicles. Some might if the original claim was with another company, but this isn’t typical.

What to Do if Your Insurance Company Won’t Issue You a Policy

If your current insurance company refuses to give you a policy, don’t worry. You can always find an agency that will insure you. Many of them will make you get liability insurance, though, on top of your normal policy.

How to Set Yourself Up for Success

Getting a salvage car insured doesn’t need to be a challenging uphill climb. You just need to plan ahead.

For those who already have insurance, call your agent and see what your options are if you purchase a salvage car. They won’t be able to give you a 100% accurate quote, of course, but you’ll know whether or not this is something they’re willing to consider.

If you don’t have an insurance company, start calling around.

If you do have one and they won’t insure you, do the same.

At auto auction mall, we can help you find a salvage car that will need minimal repairs, which should go a long way toward helping you get insured. Just let us know what kind of vehicle you’re looking for and your budget. We’ll take care of the rest.

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