When a Car Is a Total Loss in Louisiana
How Louisiana decides a car is a total loss, salvage title rules, and how to complain about a claim.
Short answer: A vehicle is a "total loss" when it has damage equal to 75% or more of its market value, based on the most current National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) guide. La. R.S. 32:702(13)-(14)
| Total loss rules | A vehicle is a "total loss" when it has damage equal to 75% or more of its market value, based on the most current National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) guide. A salvage title is the certificate issued by the Office of Motor Vehicles to show that an insurance settlement declared the vehicle a total loss. Vehicles with cosmetic hail damage of 75% or more are not treated as salvage but receive a branded title showing hail damage. Source: La. R.S. 32:702(13)-(14) |
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FAQ
When is a car a total loss in Louisiana?
A vehicle is a "total loss" when it has damage equal to 75% or more of its market value, based on the most current National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) guide. A salvage title is the certificate issued by the Office of Motor Vehicles to show that an insurance settlement declared the vehicle a total loss. Vehicles with cosmetic hail damage of 75% or more are not treated as salvage but receive a branded title showing hail damage.
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.