When you get into an accident, the insurance company will send an adjuster to estimate how much it will cost for an auto body shop to repair your vehicle. If they decide the cost is more than the total threshold—which is 80% of the car’s value in Missouri—the company will declare your vehicle a total loss, more commonly known as totaled. 
 
After the adjuster determines your vehicle is a total loss, the insurance company will offer you the actual cash value of the vehicle before the crash. The simplest thing to do is take the money from the insurance company and purchase another vehicle; in theory, you should be able to buy a vehicle comparable to the one you already had. The insurance company will most likely sell your totaled vehicle to a salvage yard.
 
However, many people do not realize you can choose to keep your totaled vehicle rather than condemn it to the scrap yard. An older car that is not worth much, for instance, might be declared a total loss due to even minor cosmetic damage. If the cosmetic damage does not bother you, then you could keep the vehicle and still receive a settlement from the insurance company. You can use that money to visit an auto body shop to get your car back on the road.
 
However, salvaged vehicles do have some drawbacks. They are usually worth less than ordinary ones and more difficult to insure, even after repairing. If you later find out your salvaged vehicle has mechanical damage after visiting an auto body shop, you could end up spending more money to fix it than it’s worth. If you do decide to keep your totaled car, the insurance company will subtract the value of the car from your payment. You will need to obtain a salvage title from the DMV and find an insurance company willing to provide policies for damaged vehicles.
 
 

When your car needs body work done, enlist the help from professionals at Branson Collision Center in Missouri. This auto body shop specializes in collision repairs and will work with most insurance companies through the Direct Repair Program. Call (417) 335-3775 to set up an appointment for an estimate, or visit their website to learn more about their services.