re: salvage branding?!

[silenthunder]

went to the MTO ; my license for the vehicle is still valid - so it appears that the insurance company sent me paperwork as part of a negotiations tactic I guess.

[garyhudson]

Yes I know what you mean. Most salvage vehicles are indeed unsafe AT FIRST (with one exception off the top of my head right now being vehicles that only have cosmetic damage without any exterior parts missing) but that doesn't mean it can't be repaired and put back on the road. There was a story about an Integra Type-R a few years ago where the seats were stolen and the car was given a salvage title. Obviously in its current condition (without seats) it's unsafe, but salvage vehicles like these can be repaired relatively easy and put back on the road. Mikey though thinks that once a car is given a salvage title it's instantly a heap of **** and can never be turned back into a roadworthy car.

Now I see your and his point. I will reply as following.

How mighty white of you to even use that word 'unsafe' and 'salvage' in the same sentence.


Gimme a break dude. No where did I state the vehicle is a heap of asterisks.
Its blatantly clear you have no clue as to the purpose of branding

If you bought a used car privately uncertified where the owner already performed the MTO registration to you it would be branded 'unfit', It will stay unfit until the time you get it certified and clean air tested then re-licensed. Prior to that its unfit and not road worthy. You get that yet??? of course not.
Read post #11 again and get a clue

Then try read post #17 again. wow Its amazing someone else is trying to educate you too.

While you're doing that read post #4 again... heres what I wrote
So you want to continue to drive a salvaged/unfit vehicle on the road,

This is the very first post you chose to contest... learn to read

Please, keep the chat courteous, we aren't lawyers and this isnt a court, we dont need to argue lol.

I dont know what you/other people wrote in the other posts, but to my knowledge a car with salvage title is considered BY LAW to be not allowed on the road, due to officials regarding vehicles with such branding unsafe. As to how the OP's car got its "salvage" branding, only the adjuster/inspector will know. They are the expert. However, please notice that "salvage" and "unfit" are different statements of the car's condition. Salvage can mean frame damage while unfit can mean just a burnt out light bulb. To the law (if my information is not deceiving me), "salvage" is "unsafe" in the eye of the law, not us.

Now, 'salvage' titled cars can be repaired to satisfy conditions set by the MTO, and once it passes required tests the car can have its "salvage" title changed to "repaired". What I would suggest the OP do is, get a trusted independent mechanic to check the actual state of the car and give an estimate of whether it can be repaired and how much it would cost. If there is frame damage, walk away, that car is never going to be the same. If its just cosmetic and you can stand it, talk with the insurance company and ask them to hand you the money.

Just my opinion and again, no offences intended.

[mikeymike1]

Now I see your and his point. I will reply as following.
Please, keep the chat courteous, we aren't lawyers and this isnt a court, we dont need to argue lol.

I dont know what you/other people wrote in the other posts, but to my knowledge a car with salvage title is considered BY LAW to be not allowed on the road, due to officials regarding vehicles with such branding unsafe. As to how the OP's car got its "salvage" branding, only the adjuster/inspector will know. They are the expert. However, please notice that "salvage" and "unfit" are different statements of the car's condition. Salvage can mean frame damage while unfit can mean just a burnt out light bulb. To the law (if my information is not deceiving me), "salvage" is "unsafe" in the eye of the law, not us.

Now, 'salvage' titled cars can be repaired to satisfy conditions set by the MTO, and once it passes required tests the car can have its "salvage" title changed to "repaired". What I would suggest the OP do is, get a trusted independent mechanic to check the actual state of the car and give an estimate of whether it can be repaired and how much it would cost. If there is frame damage, walk away, that car is never going to be the same. If its just cosmetic and you can stand it, talk with the insurance company and ask them to hand you the money.

Just my opinion and again, no offences intended.

I made my initial post and the arguing was initialized by starboy869 and voltex. In fact it wasn't even my post that started this silly debate about the word 'unsafe'. It was starboy869 who brought it up. (yes he can't read either). They chose to contest and challenge.
I very well know the meaning of vehicle branding and the 'law' that enforces such branding.
But by merely defending my stance I'm a thug?? Who's the one here that's already had 4+ posts deleted by admins for excessive use of asterisks

[silenthunder]

I very well know the meaning of vehicle branding and the 'law' that enforces such branding.

okay - if you know the law - then could you please answer my original question that started this thread:

can an insurance company brand a car as salvage BEFORE they have made the actual payout on the car (i.e. before they have 'purchased' the car or the owner has exercised the right of refusal)

also: how much does it cost to do an inspection to get a car to 'rebuilt' status

and: if the car is not yet 'salvage' do you just need to get the car certified normally and send that to the insurance company to avoid the 'salvage' status.

any help is appreciated.

[mikeymike1]

okay - if you know the law - then could you please answer my original question that started this thread:

can an insurance company brand a car as salvage BEFORE they have made the actual payout on the car (i.e. before they have 'purchased' the car or the owner has exercised the right of refusal)

also: how much does it cost to do an inspection to get a car to 'rebuilt' status

and: if the car is not yet 'salvage' do you just need to get the car certified normally and send that to the insurance company to avoid the 'salvage' status.

any help is appreciated.

That has nothing to do with the law and/or policies of 'branding'
What your insurance company decides to do is their own business. If they want to conduct themselves prematurely to those facts then its up to them.
I have no idea what he-said she-said to you or them via vocal, written or otherwise. Who knows, you may have given them the impression that a settlement has been made and they are proceeding with the branding status.

From your initial posting you want the insurance company to pay you for a 'total loss' book value for the accident and still keep the car so that you can fix it yourself. Somehow you got away with such the first time around and want same this time but now you have a smarter insurance adjuster who sees right through you.
If you want the insurance settlement then your insurance company has every right to deem the vehicle as salvage and have the vehicle disposed of how ever they see fit to try recoup some of their money back.

The cost of the inspection (salvage branded) will vary from authorized inspection station to another. I believe they must be Type 6 inspection stations.
Most accident repaired vehicles don't need to be re-certified. Unless the mechanic repairing your vehicle notices severe structural frame damage which he must advise you of then you two can decide which direction to go.

[silenthunder]

you use terms such as 'get away with'

and

'sees right through you'

what i'm trying to do is not an uncommon thing; do a google search you'll find several people who have negotiated with their insurance companies so that the car isn't branded as 'salvage'. I'm not sure why you are inferring that I'm trying to do something shady.

[Mayosandwich]

Someone here mentioned you can actually get insurance to change a cars salvaged title to repaired. Can you really? How do you go about this ans how much would it cost

[BoogieWilliams]

Just because a car has been branded "salvage" doesn't mean that it is actually unsafe. Insurance companies usually do this when the damage costs equal or outweigh the actual value of the car.

[thrifthunter]

Why do you have an issue with the insurance company branding it as salvage? That is what it is. This is a US definition but you get the idea:

A Salvage Title is issued on a vehicle damaged to the extent that the cost of repairing the vehicle exceeds ~ 75% of its pre-damage value. This damage threshold may vary by state. Some states treat Junk titles the same as Salvage but the majority use this title to indicate that a vehicle is not road worthy and cannot be titled again in that state.

Once you fix the car, it will then become:
A Rebuilt/Reconstructed vehicle is a salvage vehicle that has been repaired and restored to operation. These vehicles are often severely damaged before they are rebuilt and refurbished parts are typically used during reconstruction. In most states, an inspection of the vehicle is required before the vehicle is allowed to return to the road.

[thrifthunter]

the insurance company's preferred collision centre made a ridiculous estimate of 4K. I have since gotten another estimate of 1500. car is worth about 2200.

How do you know that $4000 quote is ridiculous? That was likely based on top notch repair quality.
Body work is not like mechanical work in that you simply replace a part. Body work is all about the prep, the cheaper the job the less time they will put into preparing it = less quality final result.

Having said that, on a car that old the $1500 job will likely suffice.

However, if you car was new would you be comfortable in going with the $1500 job over the $4000 job?
If it was coming out of your pocket, maybe. But with insurance footing the bill? DEFINITELY NOT!!!

[colorfulpoet]

My boyfriend works for a mechanic shop. He claims that buy car parts dirt cheap, and end up charging 3 to 4 times as much to install it, so sometimes those auto body shops aren't much better then just doing it yourself. But if insurance is paying for it and it is a newer car, then there is no problem. I am in the same boat with a 98 cavalier I have that just recently got into an accident. It is a dent in left front panel. My dad has the parts and it would be an easy fix. He told me that since autobody shops charge so much, insurance are going to write the car off. I don't want to get rid of the car, because it is really good, and I can't imagine being parted from it. I have to get the damage appraised on the car today, my dad is coming with me, but I want to know if there is a way out of it?

[silenthunder]

Okay,

so this is where I'm at now:

car will cost $1500 to fix.

insurance company said they will offer me 1500 for the car - and charge me 500 dollars to buy it back. (this seems a little low to me...)

after a 500 dollar deductible that means I'm left with 500 bucks to pay for fixing the car, and getting it re-inspected to get 'rebuilt' status.

Trying to talk the insurance company into not branding it 'salvage' and possibly taking a lesser amount to fix it (like a year or so ago) - doubtful if they'll bite this time though.

As for why I'm going through all this - the car is in great shape. I'm going to dispute the offered amount but doubt if I'll get anywhere - the insurance guy keeps on saying they have a formula they use that dictates they need to make some kind of 30% profit at their end which is how they figure out the amount they give me - I keep thinking this sounds shady.

[colorfulpoet]

I would settle for less then 2200 for that car.

[silenthunder]

I would settle for less then 2200 for that car.

yeah 2200 is a far cry from their offer of 1500

[Toolatecrew]

Wow so much arguing when all it takes is a quick google search
"2. When should the vehicle brand be reported?
Insurers must report the vehicle brand to the Ministry of Transportation within six days after acquiring ownership of the severely damaged vehicle or 14 days after the date on which the insurer settles the claim but does not acquire ownership of the vehicle.
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dan.../faq.shtml#a10

No they can't brnad it as salvage if you have not "settled" the claim.

People often use the terms salvage and Total loss vehicle as interchangeable.This is wrong..dead wrong.
Total loss means that the insurance company has determined that the cost to repair is more than the value of the total loss payout minus whatever salvage recovery. So in this instance they say 4 k to repair.

They pay you out 2200 they get the vehicle from you and sell it as salvage to a dealer for roughly 30% (that number is too high but it serves r this purpose) So the insurance company pays you out 2200 gets 600 of that back from the salvage sale so they are out of pocket 1600. that is far less than the 4K cost to repair. Heck t less than HALF of that cost to repair. They are going to total that car. It's likely not even worth 2200 on the market.

They are obligated by law to brand it as salvage once the claim is settled. So while it is not branded as of TODAY its inevitable. It can be branded as repairable and be fixed and re branded rebuilt after certification.

To make a long story short no matter what you do that car is going to get branded. The only things you can negotiate now is how much they give you for the car and how much they want from you to "buy back" the salvage if you want to repair it.