Selling a wrecked car
After an accident you have three choices: repair it, let insurance take it, or sell it as-is. If repairs cost more than the car is worth to you, selling it damaged is often the cleanest exit.
We’re an independent guide, not the buyer. Offers come from Peddle, a nationwide car-buying service, and we may earn a referral fee when you sell through our form.
What moves the offer
- Where the damage is
- Front-end hits often involve the engine, radiator and airbags; rear and side hits may leave the drivetrain intact. Be specific.
- Airbags deployed
- Deployed airbags are expensive to replace and are a common question on offer forms.
- Does it still drive?
- A drivable wrecked car is easier to resell and to load.
- Title status
- If insurance declared it a total loss, the title may be branded salvage. That changes who can buy it and for how much.
Say this on the offer form
Offers are adjusted at pickup when the car doesn’t match the description. Be specific about:
- Which panels are damaged and whether the frame was hit
- Airbag deployment
- Whether it starts and drives
- Glass broken or missing
- Any open insurance claim on the car
Per Peddle, an updated offer is made when there’s a discrepancy, and you can decline it. Don’t sign the title until you’re happy with the number in front of you.
Worth knowing
If there’s an open insurance claim, finish that conversation first. Your insurer may want to inspect the car, and if they pay it out as a total loss they may take ownership of it. Selling while a claim is open can create a mess you don’t want.
Take photos of the car before it leaves. If anything is disputed later, you’ll have a record of its condition on pickup day.
Paperwork
You’ll need the title in your name, a photo ID, and every key you have. If there’s a loan on the car, read selling a car with a loan first. Can’t find the title? Start with our no-title guide. After pickup, follow the after-you-sell checklist.
Questions
Can I sell my car if the insurance company totaled it?
If you kept the car after a total-loss payout (an “owner retained” settlement), yes. The title will usually be branded salvage. See our totaled car guide.
Should I fix it first?
Rarely worth it for an as-is sale. Buyers price in the repair cost, usually at less than a body shop would charge you.
Not quite your situation?
Find out what it’s worth today.
About a dozen questions, an offer on screen, and no obligation to take it. If you accept, Peddle’s towing partner comes to you and pays by check at pickup.