The short answer is yes. You can legally drive a car with a “salvage title,” although it may not be recommended to do so. A car with a salvage title means that it has been determined to be a total loss after an accident. These types of cars can cause numerous problems — from being more expensive to insure, to having mechanical issues, to requiring additional inspections before they can be registered with the state’s department of motor vehicles.
Knowing Your Rights
When purchasing a used vehicle, it is critical to have a record of the car’s history. This should include any repairs, maintenance, and accidents. When an accident is serious, or causes serious damage to a car, an insurance company may deem the vehicle a “total loss.”
The definition of the “totaled” or “total loss” terms used by insurance companies is different from how average people define the term. Basically, when the cost of fixing the car plus its salvage value is higher than the cash value if the vehicle were working, then it is deemed “totaled.” More importantly, however, the insurance company’s determination that the vehicle is “totaled” can make the car subject to state salvage title laws. When a car has been deemed a “total loss,” the car’s title is specially marked as such and referred to as a “salvage title.” Many states mandate that salvage vehicles pass special inspections before a driver can register a vehicle. Not surprisingly, car insurance premiums on vehicles with salvage titles can be higher than premiums for comparable cars that have not been totaled.
Totaled Your Car?
If you were involved in a Nevada accident and your car was damaged, you will likely need professional legal advice to obtain full payment to cover the repairs or replacement costs of your car. There are many scenarios that can arise from a Nevada car accident such as:
- The car insurance company refusing to deem your car a total loss;
- The car insurance company not paying the full replacement or repair cost of your car;
- The car insurance company determining your car is totaled, but undervaluing the car’s salvage value, repair costs, or cash value;
- The car insurance issues you a check to repair your totaled car but it does not cover the full repair, and you want the at-fault party to cover the difference.
According to Nevada law, car insurance companies can determine that a crashed vehicle is totaled if the repair costs are 65% or more of the car’s cash value. It is important to know that you are not required to accept the insurance company’s determination regarding whether or not your vehicle is a total loss.
Accident Attorneys
Contact the experienced accident attorneys at H&P Law if you or someone you know has been hurt in Las Vegas or the surrounding area. Our skilled lawyers can explain your rights and obligations after you suffer property damage in a crash. Our experienced legal team will fight to get the monetary compensation you deserve for your car’s replacement or repair costs, any injuries you have suffered, as well as loss of income. Contact us today for your initial consultation.
