When a Car Is a Total Loss in Mississippi
How Mississippi decides a car is a total loss, salvage title rules, and how to complain about a claim.
Short answer: A salvage vehicle is a motor vehicle that an insurance company obtains from the owner by paying a total loss claim from collision, fire, flood, accident, hail, trespass, unrecovered theft or another occurrence. Mississippi Department of Revenue, Salvage Vehicles
| Total loss rules | A salvage vehicle is a motor vehicle that an insurance company obtains from the owner by paying a total loss claim from collision, fire, flood, accident, hail, trespass, unrecovered theft or another occurrence. Vehicles 10 years old or older worth $1,500 or less, and vehicles needing repair or replacement of five or fewer minor component parts, are not salvage vehicles. A vehicle with a salvage title cannot be driven on Mississippi roads, cannot get a license tag, and cannot be sold by a licensed dealer until retitled as "Rebuilt." The page reviewed does not state a percentage-of-value threshold for declaring a total loss. |
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| Complaints about an insurer | File a complaint against an insurance company with the Mississippi Insurance Department using its online Consumer Complaint Form, or print the Company Complaint Form and mail it to Mississippi Insurance Department, Attn: Consumer Services Division, P.O. Box 79, Jackson, MS 39205, fax it to 601-359-1077, or email consumer@mid.ms.gov. Supporting documents must be sent within two working days of filing online. To request a form by phone: (800) 562-2957 or (601) 359-2453. The department allows 20 working days to contact the company. |
More Mississippi car insurance & vehicle laws
- Minimum Car Insurance in Mississippi
- Driving Without Insurance in Mississippi
- SR-22 Insurance in Mississippi
- Transferring a Car Title in Mississippi
- All Mississippi car insurance & vehicle laws rules
FAQ
When is a car a total loss in Mississippi?
A salvage vehicle is a motor vehicle that an insurance company obtains from the owner by paying a total loss claim from collision, fire, flood, accident, hail, trespass, unrecovered theft or another occurrence. Vehicles 10 years old or older worth $1,500 or less, and vehicles needing repair or replacement of five or fewer minor component parts, are not salvage vehicles. A vehicle with a salvage title cannot be driven on Mississippi roads, cannot get a license tag, and cannot be sold by a licensed dealer until retitled as "Rebuilt."
How do you file a complaint against a car insurance company in Mississippi?
File a complaint against an insurance company with the Mississippi Insurance Department using its online Consumer Complaint Form, or print the Company Complaint Form and mail it to Mississippi Insurance Department, Attn: Consumer Services Division, P.O. Box 79, Jackson, MS 39205, fax it to 601-359-1077, or email consumer@mid.ms.gov. Supporting documents must be sent within two working days of filing online. To request a form by phone: (800) 562-2957 or (601) 359-2453. The department allows 20 working days to contact the company.
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.