Can You Get Full-Coverage Insurance on a Car With a Rebuilt Title
While most insurance providers offer liability-only coverage on rebuilt title vehicles, only a handful offer full-coverage options.
Written by Sarah Gray
Reviewed by Jessa Claeys
Rebuilt title cars offer drivers the chance to get behind the wheel of a great car for much less money than it would cost to buy the same vehicle new or even used. However, if you’re looking for full-coverage car insurance options, your choices are limited.
Contrary to what you may think, finding
car insurance
for a rebuilt title vehicle is pretty simple. Almost all insurance providers offer liability coverage for rebuilt title vehicles. Unfortunately, if you’re looking to protect your investment with full coverage, you have a much smaller pool of providers to pick from.To help guide you in your search, we’ve gathered the details you need about auto insurance providers that offer full-coverage options for rebuilt title cars. Plus, we’ve included the steps to take to show auto insurance companies that the repaired vehicle is ready for the road.
Can you get full-coverage car insurance on a rebuilt title car?
Yes—but it can be difficult. The main reason for this is that, unlike
liability insurance
, certain aspects of a full-coverage car insurance
policy are based on the vehicle’s actual cash value—a figure that’s often tough to nail down on a rebuilt car. This makes calculating insurance premiums on rebuilt title cars more difficult.Let’s talk a little more about why that is. Following major damage, insurance adjusters may declare a vehicle a total loss if the cost to repair it amounts to more than the car’s value. Such vehicles are stripped of a clean title and given a salvage title.
But if a salvage title car is professionally repaired and passes the necessary inspections, the salvage title can be replaced with a rebuilt title. At that point, the vehicle will be deemed road-worthy again.
No matter how good a mechanic is in the garage, though, no car will ever be 100% again after being totaled. Underlying issues may have been missed, and there are also structural and safety issues to consider. These increased risks make it difficult to find providers willing to offer
collision coverage
and comprehensive coverage
on a rebuilt title car.But it’s not impossible. You’ll just have to shop around.
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What car insurance companies offer full coverage for rebuilt titles?
Only a handful of providers offer full-coverage options for rebuilt title cars. Here is a list of some of your best options:
Other providers not on this list may also offer full-coverage rebuilt title insurance. All will have similar guidelines you’ll need to follow in order to secure a policy. Let’s take a look at what you need to do to qualify not only for a rebuilt title but also for a full-coverage policy.
How to get full coverage for your rebuilt vehicle
The first step in qualifying for full coverage is also the last step you have to take to qualify for a rebuilt title: You have to
get rid of the salvage title on your vehicle
. To do this, you need to prove you’ve performed all the necessary repairs to make your vehicle road-worthy again.In fact, all the steps you’ll need to take to get a full-coverage policy on a rebuilt title car have to do with showing just how well-repaired your car actually is. Here’s how to proceed.
Prove that you’ve repaired all the damage
To prove you’ve repaired the damages to your vehicle, you’ll need the original repair estimate from when your vehicle was declared a total loss. Your provider will be able to compare this with parts and labor receipts and a certified mechanic’s statement to see that all the necessary repairs have been performed.
Get a statement from a certified mechanic
Speaking of a statement from a certified mechanic—you’re going to need one. Even if you’re a whizz in the garage and you perform all the repairs yourself, your provider will require an inspection by a mechanic certified in ensuring salvage title vehicles are fully repaired and eligible for a rebuilt title. Since you’ll need this inspection to get your rebuilt title anyway, this isn’t really an extra step—just be sure you don’t lose this statement.
Take photos to show the condition of your car
While the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will likely request both before and after photos of your vehicle to issue a rebuilt title, your provider will be more concerned about the after photos. These will show a prospective insurer the car’s current condition and offer a useful comparison for calculating a payout if you ever have to file a claim for damages.
Compare quotes from several insurance companies
Because the market value of rebuilt cars is often much lower than clean-title vehicles, you might be surprised at how affordable insurance rates for a rebuilt title car can be. That said, it’s still important to compare
car insurance quotes
from multiple providers to ensure you’re getting the best policy at the best price.Key Takeaway Most of the steps required to secure a full-coverage policy on a rebuilt title car are similar to those required to change a salvage title to a rebuilt title.
MORE: How to insure a car with a salvage title
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What’s the difference between a rebuilt title and a salvage title?
A salvage title, or branded title, is issued when a vehicle has been declared a total loss and is deemed not road-worthy. A totaled car’s title status is updated to a rebuilt title once the vehicle owner is able to prove that all necessary repairs have been performed to make that vehicle safe for public roads again.
How much is car insurance for a rebuilt title car?
More often than not, rebuilt title car insurance is substantially cheaper than insurance for a car with a clean title. To make sure you get the best price, you should compare quotes from multiple companies.
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