Why Flooded-Out Cars Are Likely Total Losses

I worked for Mercury Insurance for five years. I also spent 15 years working in the body shop industry doing Insurance Company accounts. Normally, if the water reaches the lowest part of the dash, the car is a total loss!

If the car was being driven through deep water and it swallows water, it is often common that the water will put a crack in the with a thrown rod in the engine block. It's called hydrolock because you can't compress a liquid. Another issue is some people buy these total losses and some states may still have a way to take a car that was a total loss and change the title to make it not look like a total. So you may buy a car that you think is okay but later it gets involved in an accident and you find out that it was appraised by another insurance company has a loss and now your car is considered a salvage title and worth even less. Some states like Mississippi used to have loopholes were you could re register the car with a clean title. Not sure if this is still the case but buyer beware if the price is too low! I guess with Carfax and other car services you can run the VIN and see if the car has been involved in any insurance claims. A small accident does not make the car a salvage title.

SGT Charlie Lee

LTC Eugene Chu I Rather Like My KIA Forte, It was a "Salvage" Title. Flooded in the Houston floods 2015. Works Fine.