When a Car Is a Total Loss in Georgia
How Georgia decides a car is a total loss, salvage title rules, and how to complain about a claim.
Short answer: Georgia defines a "salvage motor vehicle" as one damaged so that restoring it would require replacing two or more major component parts, or one for which an insurer has paid a total loss claim and that has not been repaired (regardless of the extent of damage) — but not a vehicle with… O.C.G.A. § 40-3-2(10), (11)
| Total loss rules | Georgia defines a "salvage motor vehicle" as one damaged so that restoring it would require replacing two or more major component parts, or one for which an insurer has paid a total loss claim and that has not been repaired (regardless of the extent of damage) — but not a vehicle with only cosmetic damage from causes other than fire or flood, or a recovered stolen vehicle that is undamaged or not damaged to that extent. A vehicle restored by replacing two or more major component parts is a "rebuilt motor vehicle." Source: O.C.G.A. § 40-3-2(10), (11) |
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| Complaints about an insurer | File a complaint with the Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire's Consumer Services Division, preferably through its online Consumer Complaint Portal (create an account, log in, and follow the instructions), after trying to resolve the dispute with the insurer. Phone: (404) 656-2070 or toll-free (800) 656-2298. The Division sends an acknowledgment with a case number, forwards the complaint to the company, and reviews whether laws or the policy were violated. Phone numbers from the OCI auto insurance guide: https://oci.georgia.gov/document/document/guide-auto-insurance/download |
More Georgia car insurance & vehicle laws
- Minimum Car Insurance in Georgia
- Driving Without Insurance in Georgia
- SR-22 Insurance in Georgia
- Transferring a Car Title in Georgia
- All Georgia car insurance & vehicle laws rules
FAQ
When is a car a total loss in Georgia?
Georgia defines a "salvage motor vehicle" as one damaged so that restoring it would require replacing two or more major component parts, or one for which an insurer has paid a total loss claim and that has not been repaired (regardless of the extent of damage) — but not a vehicle with only cosmetic damage from causes other than fire or flood, or a recovered stolen vehicle that is undamaged or not damaged to that extent. A vehicle restored by replacing two or more major component parts is a "rebuilt motor vehicle."
How do you file a complaint against a car insurance company in Georgia?
File a complaint with the Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire's Consumer Services Division, preferably through its online Consumer Complaint Portal (create an account, log in, and follow the instructions), after trying to resolve the dispute with the insurer. Phone: (404) 656-2070 or toll-free (800) 656-2298. The Division sends an acknowledgment with a case number, forwards the complaint to the company, and reviews whether laws or the policy were violated.
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.