How is the value of your car figured if it is totaled in an accident?

Cost of repair The appraiser will calculate the cost of repairing the vehicle to see if it is higher or lower than its actual cash value. If, after adding the cost of the residual value to the total estimate of the repair, that figure is higher than the actual cash value of the car, in most cases the car is considered as a total. To get an idea of the total value of your car, calculate the value of the Kelley Blue Book in good condition. Calculate the reasonable condition value of 20 to 40 percent.

According to CarBrain, depending on the amount of damage caused to your vehicle, it's likely to come closer to 20 percent range. This gives you an idea of the total value of your vehicle. When determining the value of a car, the actual cash value takes into account the depreciation of the vehicle. Depreciation represents the loss in value since you bought the car and is determined based on several factors, such as mileage, wear and tear and accident history.

The year, make and model also affect a car's depreciation because some vehicles maintain their value better than others. How do insurance companies determine the stroke of my damaged car?.