Damage we buy
- Front, rear or side collision damage, including deployed airbags
- Hail damage, from a few dimples to a totaled roof
- Flood and water damage
- Fire damage, including cars that burned completely
- Frame damage
- Vandalism and theft damage, such as broken windows or a stolen catalytic converter
- Cars your insurer has declared a total loss
No obligation.
Fix it or sell it?
If the repair estimate is close to what the car would be worth fixed, selling it damaged usually makes more sense. You skip the shop time, the risk of hidden damage, and a car that may carry a damage history on its vehicle report anyway.
| If this is true | Usually the better move |
|---|---|
| Repair cost is under a third of the car's value and the car is otherwise solid | Repair and keep or sell it |
| Repair cost is half the car's value or more | Sell it damaged |
| The airbags deployed or the frame is bent | Sell it damaged |
| Insurance totaled it and you're keeping the car | Sell it with the salvage title |
Selling a car your insurance company totaled
When an insurer totals a car, you can usually accept the payout and hand the car over, or keep the car and take a smaller payout. If you keep it, the title is typically rebranded as salvage. Keeping the car only makes sense if what a buyer pays for it is more than the payout you give up. We buy salvage-title cars, so get our offer, ask your adjuster how much smaller the payout would be, and compare the two.
Junk title vs salvage title: what's the difference?
A salvage title means the car was damaged badly enough that repairs plus its salvage value would cost more than it was worth before the damage, which is what an insurer's total loss usually means. A salvage car can often be repaired, inspected and retitled as rebuilt. A junk title, which some states call a non-repairable or certificate of destruction, means the car can't legally go back on the road and is only worth its parts and scrap.
| Salvage | Junk | |
|---|---|---|
| What it means | Repair cost plus salvage value exceeds the pre-damage value | Can't operate on public roads; value only as parts or scrap |
| Can it be driven again? | Often, after repair, inspection and a rebuilt title | No |
| Who buys it | Rebuilders, auctions and cash buyers | Parts buyers, scrap yards and cash buyers |
- Salvage:
- Repair cost plus salvage value exceeds the pre-damage value
- Junk:
- Can't operate on public roads; value only as parts or scrap
- Salvage:
- Often, after repair, inspection and a rebuilt title
- Junk:
- No
- Salvage:
- Rebuilders, auctions and cash buyers
- Junk:
- Parts buyers, scrap yards and cash buyers
Describing the damage accurately
The offer is only as good as the description. Tell us where the damage is, whether the car drives, whether airbags deployed, and how high flood water reached. If you're not sure, say so. The driver will confirm at pickup, and a matching description means the offer stands.
Frequently asked questions
Is a salvage car worth anything?
Yes. A salvage-title car still has value for its parts, its metal and, if it can be repaired and inspected, as a rebuilt car. It's worth less than the same car with a clean title because fewer buyers and lenders want it, but cash buyers like Car Emptor buy salvage cars as they are.
Can I sell a car right after an accident?
Yes, once any police report and insurance inspection are done. If the car is at a body shop or tow yard, tell us and we'll pick it up there.
Do you buy flood-damaged cars?
Yes. Tell us how high the water reached and whether the car has been dried out, and we'll price it on that.
Will you buy a car with a salvage title?
Yes. Salvage and rebuilt titles are both fine.
Do I have to wait for the insurance claim to finish?
If the insurer may take the car, wait for their decision. If you're keeping it, we can buy it as soon as you have the title.
Sources
Reviewed by the Car Emptor team. Last updated November 6, 2026.