Percentages

• Each insurance company has its own threshold for determining at what level a car will be deemed a total loss. That usually occurs when repairs plus reimbursement expenses for a rental car are more than 51 percent of the car's current cash value. The percentage for some companies can go as high as 80 percent or 90 percent.
  
  

Cash Value

• Several factors determine a car's cash value, most notably make, model and year of the car. The condition of the body before the accident as well as the mileage is also important. Other possible factors include luxury amenities, special trim and maintenance records, if available.
  
  

Salvage Value

• The amount of money an insurance company can possibly obtain for a damaged car also figures into whether it will be totaled. If salvage value plus repair costs exceed actual cash value, the vehicle will be totaled. The owner will receive the car's cash value minus the policy deductible. The insurance company keeps the money it receives from the sale of the vehicle for its parts.