When Repairs to Your Vehicle Aren't an Option: What You Need to Know
After careful evaluation, PURE has determined your automobile can’t be safely or cost-effectively repaired—it’s considered a total loss. Your adjuster will walk you through each step, and this guide is here to offer added clarity and support along the way.
What does an “auto total loss” mean?
An "auto total loss" simply means the cost to repair your vehicle is more than what it's worth. While a total loss may be obvious in some cases, in others it’s not. The decision is not just based on how damaged the car looks and even cars that are still drivable can be total losses. When a car is totaled, rather than repairing it, we will issue you a payment for its value and take ownership of the car. Your adjuster will connect with you directly to go over the settlement details.
What are my options?
In some states, you may have the right to retain your vehicle. This means that you can keep the car, get a salvage branded title and accept a lesser settlement: the car’s agreed value minus the value of the salvage vehicle. It’s important to know that in most cases, totaled vehicles are not insurable.
What are my next steps?
Our total loss partner, Copart, will reach out to you to coordinate your vehicle pickup. If it is at a repair facility or tow yard, you may need to sign release forms to authorize Copart to transport it to their processing location.
Before Copart picks up your vehicle, you will need to remove:
- All personal belongings, like sunglasses, garage door openers and toll passes
- Important documents, like the vehicle’s registration, title and insurance information
- Any stored data from the vehicle’s infotainment system, like your contacts and your GPS settings
- The license plates
Once you have picked up all your belongings and signed any necessary release forms, reach out to your adjuster so that they can continue to move the claim forward.
When can I expect payment?
The payment timeline is dependent on a variety of factors, including when the vehicle is released to Copart, if you have a loan or if the vehicle is leased. Your adjuster will notify you when payment has been made and share documentation for your records.
- If you have a loan or the vehicle is leased: payment will be issued directly to the leasing company or lienholder. Any remaining funds that are owed will be issued to you.
- If the vehicle is owned outright: payment will be issued directly to you, either via electronic funds transfer (EFT) or regular mail. Please be sure to let your adjuster know what your preference is.
What documents do I need to prepare?
- If you have a loan or lease on your vehicle: we will reach out to the finance company and get the appropriate documentation from them to process the total loss. To expedite the process, please send us your account information and your lienholder’s name. We may also need some state-specific information from you as the vehicle owner, even if you have a lienholder on the vehicle. Copart will send you this to complete via text or email.
- If you are the primary owner: we will need the original title and any other state-specific documentation. Copart will share those state-specific documents via text or email.
Do I get a rental vehicle?
Yes, we’ll provide a rental vehicle throughout the total loss process. Once your settlement is issued, we’ll continue covering the rental for five additional days. Your adjuster will let you know the final day that PURE will cover the rental.
