Difference between a Salvaged car and a Total loss?

[erikiksaz]

I'm a bit confused, what makes a car salvaged compared to a total loss?

 

[wetobasura]

salvaged car is a car that was written off as a total loss by insurance company but someone decided to fix it anyway...hence the term salvaged.......I think......

 

[NutBucket]

Total loss= totaled by insurance company.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Salvaged has such a broad range. For example, my car is "salvaged", but that's only because it was stolen from the previous owner and missing long enough for insurance to pay up. It was later recovered (with no major damage), but it now carries a salvaged title. On the other hand, you could have a car that was in a flood and was totally rebuilt and holds a salvage title because of that.

 

[OS]

Total loss is a car the insurance company buys back from a policy holder after a car accident when the damage is initially deemed too great to be worth repairing.

A salvage title is a car that was previously declared a loss by an insurance company and sold at an auction. Someone picked up the car, did repairs and put it back on the road.


edit, I wasn't aware of the theft aspect, but then again you don't know how badly it was abused during that time.