When a Car Is a Total Loss in Idaho
How Idaho decides a car is a total loss, salvage title rules, and how to complain about a claim.
Short answer: Idaho does not use a fixed percentage: a "salvage vehicle" is one that has salvage documentation, or that is damaged to the extent the owner or insurer determines the cost of parts and labor minus salvage value makes it uneconomical to repair, or for which an insurer has paid a… ITD, Salvage Vehicles (citing Idaho Code §§ 49-123, 49-524)
| Total loss rules | Idaho does not use a fixed percentage: a "salvage vehicle" is one that has salvage documentation, or that is damaged to the extent the owner or insurer determines the cost of parts and labor minus salvage value makes it uneconomical to repair, or for which an insurer has paid a total-loss settlement. A "total loss" occurs when an insurer or anyone else pays the owner because the vehicle is deemed uneconomical to repair. A salvage certificate is issued for any salvage vehicle (and for theft-settled vehicles acquired by an insurer) and replaces the title as the ownership document; an insurer or salvage pool that acquires a total-loss vehicle must apply for the salvage certificate before resale. A repaired salvage vehicle becomes a "rebuilt salvage" vehicle. |
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| Complaints about an insurer | First try to resolve the matter with the insurer or agent. Then file a complaint with the Idaho Department of Insurance, Consumer Affairs, preferably online through its "File a Consumer Complaint" page. Phone (208) 334-4250 or toll-free in Idaho (800) 721-3272. Do not file a second complaint on the same matter; call instead. Warranty complaints go to the Idaho Attorney General. |
More Idaho car insurance & vehicle laws
- Minimum Car Insurance in Idaho
- Driving Without Insurance in Idaho
- SR-22 Insurance in Idaho
- Transferring a Car Title in Idaho
- All Idaho car insurance & vehicle laws rules
FAQ
When is a car a total loss in Idaho?
Idaho does not use a fixed percentage: a "salvage vehicle" is one that has salvage documentation, or that is damaged to the extent the owner or insurer determines the cost of parts and labor minus salvage value makes it uneconomical to repair, or for which an insurer has paid a total-loss settlement. A "total loss" occurs when an insurer or anyone else pays the owner because the vehicle is deemed uneconomical to repair. A salvage certificate is issued for any salvage vehicle (and for theft-settled vehicles acquired by an insurer) and replaces the title as the ownership document; an insurer or salvage pool that acquires a total-loss vehicle must apply for the salvage certificate before resale. A repaired salvage vehicle becomes a "rebuilt salvage" vehicle.
How do you file a complaint against a car insurance company in Idaho?
First try to resolve the matter with the insurer or agent. Then file a complaint with the Idaho Department of Insurance, Consumer Affairs, preferably online through its "File a Consumer Complaint" page. Phone (208) 334-4250 or toll-free in Idaho (800) 721-3272. Do not file a second complaint on the same matter; call instead. Warranty complaints go to the Idaho Attorney General.
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.