At What Extent of Damage Is a Car Considered Totaled?
4 Answers
When the repair cost after an accident exceeds 80% of the vehicle's pre-accident value, it can be considered totaled. The assessment of damage extent and whether the vehicle should be totaled must be determined by specialized appraisal agencies. Generally, this can be handled by traffic police departments for appraisal or conducted according to the instructions of the vehicle management office and designated salvage inspection points. Below is relevant information about vehicle totaling: 1. Required documents for vehicle totaling: Private vehicles require the owner's ID card; vehicle license; vehicle registration certificate; license plates; for company vehicles, an organization code certificate with the official seal is needed; accident vehicles require supporting documentation. 2. Mandatory totaling after failing three consecutive annual inspections: According to the "Mandatory Vehicle Scrapping Standards," if a vehicle fails to obtain a passing inspection mark for three consecutive inspection cycles after the inspection validity period expires, it must be mandatorily totaled. Driving a vehicle that has been mandatorily totaled on the road will result in severe penalties for the driver, including a fine of 2000 yuan and revocation of driving privileges.
As a veteran driver with over 20 years of experience, I believe vehicle scrapping mainly depends on the comparison between repair costs and the car's value. If the damage is too severe, like a totaled engine or bent frame, with repairs costing tens of thousands while the car itself is only worth ten or twenty thousand, then scrapping is definitely the way to go. Insurance companies often use a standard where if repair costs exceed about 70% of the car's value, they recommend scrapping. From my experience, it's not worth stubbornly repairing old cars. After minor collisions, the car might still be drivable, but after serious accidents like airbag deployment or chassis deformation, the safety risks are too high—even after repairs, it's not safe. Last time I helped a friend deal with an accident, his car's front end was completely destroyed in a rear-end collision. After evaluation, we opted for direct scrapping, which was more cost-effective and hassle-free. The key is to get a professional shop to assess the safety risks.
From an average car owner's perspective, scrapping a car mainly depends on whether it's economically sensible. For example, after I hit a tree last time, the repair quote was nearly 35,000, but the car was only worth 28,000. The insurance company assessed it and recommended scrapping, offering some compensation. When repair costs far exceed the car's current value, scrapping is the wise choice—especially after severe collisions like serious door dents or critical component damage, as it's not worth wasting money on repairs. In daily driving, I always say safety comes first; a deformed frame makes driving unstable. Scrapping allows selling the residual value to buy new—don't risk safety to save small money. With many new car options now, cost comparisons are straightforward.
As a young driver, I believe the key factors for a car being totaled are structural damage or prohibitively expensive repairs. That time I side-swiped a wall, the door got deformed and the wheels were misaligned. The repair shop quoted over 10,000 yuan, while the car was only worth 9,000, so it was directly totaled. For severe accidents like frame bending or airbag deployment, the repair costs are high and unsafe - insurers typically use a 70% of vehicle value threshold for totaling. Minor collisions might still be repairable, but with major impacts, it's wiser to face reality and replace the car for peace of mind and cost savings.
