Does AAA Insure Salvage Titles?
AAA cannot insure salvage title vehicles, but will offer insurance policies for rebuilt titles.
Written by Jacqulyn Graber
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Vehicles with a salvage title have been declared a total loss, which means that they cannot legally be driven out on the road. For this reason, car insurance companies—including AAA—will not offer insurance policies for them.
Your vehicle will earn a salvage title after an accident, vandalism, or environmental damage if the repairs required exceed the car’s value. But if you manage to adequately repair your salvage title vehicle, you’ll be issued a
rebuilt title
, which you can then use to secure an insurance policy through AAA.Read on to learn all about salvage titles, rebuilt titles, and the type of insurance AAA offers for formerly salvaged vehicles.
MORE:
AAA car insurance quotes
Compare insurance quotes from 50+ carriers with Jerry in under 45 seconds (Title in payload)
4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversDoes AAA insure salvage title vehicles?
No—AAA does not insure current salvage title cars. In fact, no auto insurance company can offer policies for totaled or salvaged vehicles since they are too damaged to be legally driven out on public roads.
What is a salvage title car?
A salvage title car is one written off as a total loss by an insurance adjuster. This typically occurs after a severe collision, vandalism, or an environmental event (such as hail).
Your vehicle is considered a totaled car if the estimated cost of repairs exceeds the
actual cash value
of your vehicle. Damaged vehicles with salvage certificates are not allowed to be on the road. MORE: How does the insurance company determine the value of a totaled car?
Can you get car insurance for a salvage title?
No—you cannot legally insure a vehicle with a title status of salvaged, but many insurance providers will offer policies for rebuilt salvage vehicles. If a car insurance company offers you an insurance policy for your salvaged vehicle, it is most likely a scam.
If you perform all of the necessary repairs to restore your vehicle to full working order, you’ll be issued a rebuilt vehicle title. This is a bit different than a clean title, as it still shows the vehicle history indicating the car has once been totaled—but it does indicate that your car is currently safe to drive.
Keep in mind that your vehicle may have to undergo special inspections to obtain a rebuilt title. For example, in
New York State
, drivers must bring their rebuilt cars to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for a thorough check. Once your rebuilt title car is ready to be insured, you can contact AAA to explore your policy options. While many car insurance providers only offer basic
liability coverage
for rebuilt title vehicles, AAA allows you to purchase full coverage with collision coverage
and comprehensive coverage
. Does it cost more to insure a rebuilt title vehicle?
Yes, insurance rates for cars with rebuilt titles are typically more expensive to insure than cars with similar market values but clean titles.
This is because insurance companies assume that vehicle owners with a history of severe accidents, and with rebuilt vehicles, are more likely to file claims. You can expect your liability insurance and full coverage insurance premiums to be about 20% more expensive.
Of course, your insurance costs depend on a variety of other factors, such as the type of car you drive, your driving history, your geographic location, and your demographics. It’s a good idea to contact a AAA insurance agent to inquire about your exact rates, and even to take the time to shop around for a policy that’s more affordably priced.
"My previous insurer of 5 years hiked up my rates. I looked toJerry, and they gave me a Progressive policy that saves me over $100 a month. If anyone is car insurance shopping, you need to give Jerry a try.” —Farrah N.
RECOMMENDED
Compare auto insurance policies
No spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms
Are salvage title cars difficult to insure?
Salvage title cars are actually impossible to insure as it’s not legal (or safe) to drive them out on public roads.
Formerly salvaged vehicles that have been repaired and issued a rebuilt title can be insured by many major insurance providers. Keep in mind that your rates may be slightly more expensive, though.
What’s the difference between a salvage title and rebuilt title?
Salvage titles are issued to a vehicle after a car insurance provider has declared the car a total loss. This means that the damage that occurred to the vehicle will cost more to repair than the total value of the car. This often occurs after major accidents, vandalism, or severe weather events.
Rebuilt titles are issued to formerly salvaged vehicles that have been adequately repaired and pass a thorough DMV inspection.
Keep in mind that rebuilt titles are not the same as clean titles. They will still show the vehicle’s history, indicating that it has previously been totaled.
It is not possible to insure a vehicle with a salvage title, but it is possible to insure a formerly salvaged vehicle that has been issued a rebuilt title.
Can you get full-coverage auto insurance for a rebuilt title car?
Yes—you can get full-coverage auto insurance for a rebuilt title car, but it may be a little more difficult to find a carrier who offers it.
Some car insurance companies only offer liability coverage for rebuilt vehicles and hesitate to offer collision and comprehensive coverage. This is likely because, should future damage occur to your vehicle, it can be difficult for an insurance adjuster to determine if said damage was caused by the current or previous accident.
Fortunately, AAA allows drivers to purchase full-coverage car insurance for their rebuilt vehicles, so long as the vehicle passed a full DMV inspection.
Are you overpaying for car insurance?
Compare quotes and find out in 45 seconds.
4.7You might also be interested
