Can I refuse the total loss and insist on a repair?

The decision follows the policy terms and the assessment. If you disagree with the assessment, the dispute goes through the objection procedure and, if needed, the courts.

What happens to the wreck if I keep it?

Its value is deducted from the compensation and it becomes your responsibility — including deregistration if the car will never move again.

Total loss: when the car is compensated instead of repaired

Short answer

A total loss arises when the repair cost reaches or exceeds a threshold set in the policy terms relative to the actual value of the car — compensation is then paid instead of a repair.

The threshold is in the terms, not in the law

Each insurer sets in its own terms the ratio between repair cost and vehicle value at which a claim is declared a total loss. Two cars with identical damage can therefore get different decisions at different companies — one of the few differences genuinely worth reading before signing.

What is deducted from the payment

The deductible and the value of the wreck are usually deducted if the wreck stays with you. If you hand the wreck to the insurer the calculation is different. Which option is better depends on whether anything on the car can still be sold.

Actual value, not the price you paid

Compensation is based on the value of the car on the day of the event, not on the purchase price and not on the sum insured written in the policy. The gap between those three figures is the most common source of disappointment in a total loss.

Frequently asked questions

Can I refuse the total loss and insist on a repair?: The decision follows the policy terms and the assessment. If you disagree with the assessment, the dispute goes through the objection procedure and, if needed, the courts.
What happens to the wreck if I keep it?: Its value is deducted from the compensation and it becomes your responsibility — including deregistration if the car will never move again.

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