Your Car Is a Total Loss. Here's What to Do Next.
Hearing that your car is a total loss is stressful, especially when you depend on it to get to work. The good news is that you have options, and some of them put more money in your hands than others. This page walks through the steps, and if selling the car makes sense, we'll buy it.
Questions? Call [PHONE].
What “Total Loss” Means
An insurer declares a total loss when repairing the car would cost more than a certain share of what it was worth before the damage, or when it isn't safe to repair at all. Older cars are written off more easily because their value is lower, so even moderate damage can tip the balance.
Step 1: Check the Settlement Offer
The insurer will offer you the car's actual cash value. Don't accept the first number without checking it.
- Look up comparable vehicles for sale in Alberta: same year, model, trim and similar kilometres
- Gather receipts for recent work such as new tires, brakes or a timing belt
- Note options and upgrades: remote start, winter tires on rims, tow package, leather
- If the offer looks low, send your comparisons to the adjuster and ask them to review it
Step 2: Decide Whether to Keep the Car
Many insurers will let you keep the vehicle in exchange for a lower payout. The amount they subtract is the salvage value. If you can sell the car for more than that amount, keeping it is worth it. Call us with photos before you decide, and we'll give you a number to compare. See wrecked car buying for an example.
Step 3: Watch the Storage Clock
If the car is at a tow yard or body shop, storage fees can run daily. Once the claim is settled, those fees may become your responsibility. Move quickly, either by letting the insurer take it or arranging for it to be picked up.
Step 4: Handle Plates and Insurance
Take your plates off the vehicle (they're yours in Alberta). Talk to your insurer or broker about moving coverage to your next vehicle or cancelling the policy. Also check your loan, if you had one: the payout usually goes to the lender first.
Step 5: Sell the Car
If you kept it, we'll make a firm offer based on photos, pick it up wherever it is, and pay you on the spot. You'll get a bill of sale for your records.
Total Loss Cars We Buy
- Collision write-offs
- Hail write-offs (common after Edmonton's summer storms)
- Flood and water damage
- Fire damage
- Theft recoveries that came back damaged or stripped
FAQs
Can I dispute a total loss decision?+
You can question the valuation. Provide evidence, and ask your insurer about its dispute or appraisal process.
Will you buy the car if I still owe money on it?+
The lender needs to be paid out first. Once the lien is released, we can buy it.
How fast can you pick up a total loss car?+
Usually within a day of your call.
