When a Car Is a Total Loss in Massachusetts
How Massachusetts decides a car is a total loss, salvage title rules, and how to complain about a claim.
Short answer: Massachusetts does not use a fixed percentage. A "total loss salvage motor vehicle" is one that was stolen and not recovered, or damaged to the point that the owner (or the insurer, if insured) considers it uneconomical to repair. M.G.L. c. 90D, §§1, 20
| Total loss rules | Massachusetts does not use a fixed percentage. A "total loss salvage motor vehicle" is one that was stolen and not recovered, or damaged to the point that the owner (or the insurer, if insured) considers it uneconomical to repair. An insurer that acquires such a vehicle must surrender the title and apply for a salvage title within ten days; if the owner keeps the vehicle after a total loss settlement, the owner must surrender the title and apply for a salvage title within ten days. A salvage vehicle cannot be titled or registered for road use until the reconstruction requirements are met. Definition: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIV/Chapter90D/Section1 Source: M.G.L. c. 90D, §§1, 20 |
|---|
More Massachusetts car insurance & vehicle laws
- Minimum Car Insurance in Massachusetts
- Driving Without Insurance in Massachusetts
- SR-22 Insurance in Massachusetts
- Transferring a Car Title in Massachusetts
- All Massachusetts car insurance & vehicle laws rules
FAQ
When is a car a total loss in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts does not use a fixed percentage. A "total loss salvage motor vehicle" is one that was stolen and not recovered, or damaged to the point that the owner (or the insurer, if insured) considers it uneconomical to repair. An insurer that acquires such a vehicle must surrender the title and apply for a salvage title within ten days; if the owner keeps the vehicle after a total loss settlement, the owner must surrender the title and apply for a salvage title within ten days. A salvage vehicle cannot be titled or registered for road use until the reconstruction requirements are met.
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.