Total loss · MA
Massachusetts total loss claims
Massachusetts sets no percentage. Under the Division of Insurance repair regulation, when the appraised cost of repair plus the probable salvage value may reasonably be expected to exceed the vehicle's actual cash value, the insurer must determine that actual cash value; the salvage title law treats a vehicle as total loss salvage when the insurer (or the owner, if uninsured) considers it uneconomical to repair and it is not repaired for the person who owned it at the time. If the insurer’s value looks low, the dispute comes down to evidence: the right trim and options, fair comparable vehicles and explained condition adjustments.
Total loss rule
Insurer decides
Taxes and fees
Depends on your policy
Appraisal clause
Set by your policy
Insurance regulator
Massachusetts law
When a vehicle is a total loss in Massachusetts
Insurer decides
Massachusetts sets no percentage. Under the Division of Insurance repair regulation, when the appraised cost of repair plus the probable salvage value may reasonably be expected to exceed the vehicle's actual cash value, the insurer must determine that actual cash value; the salvage title law treats a vehicle as total loss salvage when the insurer (or the owner, if uninsured) considers it uneconomical to repair and it is not repaired for the person who owned it at the time.
Authority: 211 CMR 133.05; M.G.L. c. 90D, § 1
What a Massachusetts settlement has to include
Our research did not find a Massachusetts statute or regulation that settles whether sales tax and title or registration fees must be added to a total loss payment. Ask the adjuster in writing how they were treated, and check your policy.
How the insurer has to value your vehicle
The insurer must consider four things: the retail book value of a vehicle of like kind and quality, the price paid plus the value of prior improvements less depreciation, any loss of value from prior unrelated damage, and the actual cost of buying an available vehicle of like kind and quality. If the owner keeps the vehicle, the appraiser must get bids from two conveniently located licensed salvage companies, use the average as the salvage value, and give the owner the buyers' names, the amounts and the offer expiration dates.
Authority: 211 CMR 133.05
The appraisal clause in Massachusetts
Our research did not find a Massachusetts statute or regulation on auto policy appraisal clauses, so the wording of your own policy controls: whether it has one, the deadlines, and who pays.
Keeping a totaled vehicle: Massachusetts title rules
An insurer that takes a total loss vehicle must surrender the title and apply for a salvage title within 10 days of acquiring it. If the owner keeps the vehicle after a total loss settlement, the insurer notifies the Registrar and the owner must surrender the title and apply for a salvage title within 10 days of the settlement; the vehicle cannot be registered again until the owner meets the requirements of section 20D.
Authority: M.G.L. c. 90D, § 20
If you and the insurer cannot agree
- Dispute the valuation in writing with evidence. How to challenge comparables and condition deductions.
- If your policy has an appraisal clause, you can invoke it. The appraisal clause, step by step.
- File a complaint with the Massachusetts Division of Insurance.
- Small claims court: Massachusetts small claims court.
Sources
Researched October 11, 2026. General information from an appraisal perspective, not legal advice.
Autoloss in MA
Total loss appraisals for Massachusetts vehicles
An independent valuation of your Massachusetts vehicle just before the loss, from comparable vehicles, your records and photos, reviewed by Monica Fisher. The claim review is free and the fee is quoted after we review your situation. You, or your attorney, present the report.
What the appraisal includesMassachusetts total loss questions
When is a car a total loss in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts sets no percentage. Under the Division of Insurance repair regulation, when the appraised cost of repair plus the probable salvage value may reasonably be expected to exceed the vehicle's actual cash value, the insurer must determine that actual cash value; the salvage title law treats a vehicle as total loss salvage when the insurer (or the owner, if uninsured) considers it uneconomical to repair and it is not repaired for the person who owned it at the time.
Can I keep my totaled car in Massachusetts?
Usually you can ask to, and the insurer deducts the salvage value. An insurer that takes a total loss vehicle must surrender the title and apply for a salvage title within 10 days of acquiring it. If the owner keeps the vehicle after a total loss settlement, the insurer notifies the Registrar and the owner must surrender the title and apply for a salvage title within 10 days of the settlement; the vehicle cannot be registered again until the owner meets the requirements of section 20D.
Does Autoloss prepare total loss appraisals for Massachusetts vehicles?
Yes. We prepare an independent valuation from your records, photos and the insurer’s report. The claim review is free, and the fee is quoted after we review your situation.
Low total loss offer in Massachusetts?
The claim review is free: we look at your situation and tell you whether an appraisal is likely to help. The appraisal itself is a paid report. We help from start to finish, including a custom demand letter, and our support staff is a phone call away throughout the process.