Crash Course: What Happens If Your Car Is Totaled?

Tony Mers • May 11, 2019

Fender benders happen. No big deal. Usually. But, given the technology that goes into even the smallest parts of your car, and how damage to those technologies can result in system-wide problems, you might be surprised at how relatively easy it is to total your car. Every year, there are about six million car accidents in the U.S. 72% of those accidents result in property damage, some of which may be sufficient to total your car.

Should this happen to you, making this unfortunate experience less painful is possible and depends largely on wise preparation. It’s common for drivers to believe that a car must be a mangled mess to be totaled, but this is not necessarily the case, so it’s important to get familiar with the facts and be as prepared as possible.

How Insurance Companies Determine That Your Car Is Totaled.

Insurance companies make this determination based on the cost of repairs to be made versus the value of the car. If a car body shop or paint shopwill need to perform car repairs after an accident, such as body work and cosmetic repairs, that cost more than the car’s overall value, the car is considered totaled. After a serious car accident, getting a car fixed can exceed the car’s resale amount, rendering the car not worth the insurance company’s repair spend. An appraiser will evaluate the damage to make this determination. Older cars are more likely to be categorized as totaled as they tend to have low resale value. In some states, laws dictate when a car is totaled. Ask your collision and paint shop about any such regulations in your area.

Find Your Vehicle’s Title. Your insurance company will want to know whether you still owe a balance on your car’s purchase price. If your vehicle is paid off, your insurer will ask you to produce your car’s title and car loan payoff documentation as proof that you don’t owe anything on the vehicle.

Identify a Body Shop You Can Trust. Your collision and paint shop will be who can tell you how much repairing your car would cost. Given how much is riding on this calculation, going with a shop you have experience with or are referred to by friends or family lets you rest easy that you are getting accurate information to pass along to your insurance company. Your insurance company will often recommend certain body shops for you to visit. However, remember that the choice of body shop is ultimately yours. Legally, you are free to forego use of the body shop your insurance company prefers and go with your own choice.

Once you’ve got all the information and documentation you need, your body shop and insurance company will work with you to determine the fate of your totaled car. A silver lining: you may find yourself in a new ride sooner than you thought!

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Why Ignoring Small Dents Can Lead to Bigger Problems

January 30, 2026

It is an awful feeling when you walk out to your car after a long day and see a small dent on your passenger door. While it may appear to be just a cosmetic issue, you should still get it fixed, because ignoring small dents can lead to bigger problems for your vehicle. Don’t let small dents on your car go untreated; let's talk about why you need to tackle these issues ASAP. Rust Loves Chicago Winters We all know the drill here in the Windy City. We have beautiful summers, sure, but we also pay the price with brutal winters. And what comes with winter? Salt. Tons of it. Your car’s paint job acts as a suit of armor protecting the metal body underneath. Even a minor dent often comes with microscopic cracks in the paint—sometimes too small to see with the naked eye. Once that seal is broken, moisture and road salt sneak in. They settle against the bare metal and start a chemical party you definitely don’t want to host. Oxidation begins immediately. By the time you notice bubbling paint or that tell-tale orange stain a few months later, the rust has already been eating away at your door panel from the inside out. Resale Value Takes a Nosedive For many people, maintaining their car is a valuable part of purchasing a new vehicle. When that day comes, curb appeal is everything. Used car buyers (and dealership appraisers) will judge your car by its exterior appearance. If they see a vehicle riddled with door dings, bumper scrapes, and ignored scratches, they see a car that wasn't cared for. They assume that if you didn't care enough to fix the outside, you probably didn't care about the rest of it either. It lowers the perceived value instantly. Maintaining your car’s body and its paint is an investment in your future trade-in value. Paint Damage Spreads Like a Virus When a dent or scrape compromises the integrity of the paint, the surrounding paint loses its grip. High-pressure car washes, wind, and temperature fluctuations cause the paint to flake away from the initial injury site. A scratch the size of a quarter can grow into a patch the size of a softball over a couple of seasons. It’s Easier (and Cheaper) Than You Think Here is the good news: fixing these things early is surprisingly affordable. Modern body shop technology is amazing. For many small dings where the paint isn't cracked, we can use techniques that massage the metal back into place without spraying a drop of paint. River North Collision Repair offers paintless dent repair in Chicago to fix minor dents. Regardless of what nicked your door, we can help remove the dents and maintain a seamless look for your vehicle. Don’t Wait for Problems Don't let minor dents turn into a big nightmare. Save your future self the headache (and the cash). Swing by River North Collision Repair for your quick and easy repairs. Because driving a car you’re proud of? That’s a feeling you can’t put a price on.