# Selling a Damaged or Written-Off Car in Ontario > Written-off or damaged car in Ontario? Learn what Salvage, Rebuilt and Irreparable mean, what buyers pay for, and how to sell. Free towing, cash paid. Source: https://topcash4cars.ca/guides/sell-damaged-or-write-off-car # Selling a Damaged or Written-Off Car in Ontario A crash, flood or fire can leave you with a car that isn't worth fixing and an insurer asking what you want to do. Here's how write-offs work in Ontario, what the vehicle brands mean, and how to sell a damaged or written-off car for a fair price. ## What does it mean when a car is written off? A car is written off, or declared a total loss, when your insurer decides repairs would cost too much compared with what the car is worth. Each insurer makes that call using the car's value, the repair estimate and the type of damage. When a car is written off, the insurer usually pays you its actual cash value, minus your deductible. In return, **the insurer normally becomes the owner of the car** and sells it as salvage. You sign the ownership (vehicle permit) over to them, and the car is no longer yours to sell. If the payout seems low, ask your insurer how to dispute the valuation before you accept. Listings and recent sale prices for similar cars can help you make your case. ## Can I keep my car after an insurance write-off? Often, yes. Many insurers let you keep a written-off car, which is sometimes called buying it back. ### How a buyback works Instead of handing the car over, you keep it, and the insurer deducts the car's salvage value from your payout. You end up with a smaller settlement plus the damaged car. Not every insurer offers this on every claim, so ask your adjuster for the salvage value and your settlement both ways. ### When keeping it makes sense A buyback can work if you can fix the car cheaply yourself, want to keep it for parts, or can sell it for more than the salvage value the insurer deducts. It rarely makes sense if the car will be branded Irreparable and you were hoping to drive it again. ### Ask about the brand first Before you agree, ask which brand the car will get on its Ontario vehicle record. A Salvage car can be repaired and put back on the road after inspections. An Irreparable car can never be plated again, so its only value is in parts and scrap metal. ## Ontario vehicle brands explained Ontario records a brand on a vehicle's history when it's badly damaged. Insurers and some businesses that deal in damaged vehicles report qualifying cars to the Ministry of Transportation, and the brand shows up on the Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP). | Brand | What it means | Can it go back on the road? | | --- | --- | --- | | No brand | No brand has been recorded for the vehicle | Yes, with normal registration and insurance | | Salvage | Damaged badly enough to be written off, but repairable | Only after repairs, a structural inspection and a safety inspection; it's then branded Rebuilt | | Rebuilt | Was branded Salvage, then repaired and passed the required inspections | Yes, but the Rebuilt brand stays on its record permanently | | Irreparable | So badly damaged it's only fit for parts or scrap | No, it can never be plated for road use in Ontario again | ## Salvage vs Irreparable: why the brand matters when you sell The brand has a big effect on who wants the car and what they'll pay. A Salvage car still has a possible future on the road. A rebuilder may buy it, repair it and take it through a structural inspection at a licensed Motor Vehicle Inspection Station, followed by a Safety Standards Certificate. If it passes, it can be registered again with a Rebuilt brand. Rebuilt cars usually sell for less than similar unbranded cars, and some buyers avoid them altogether. An Irreparable car is finished as a road vehicle. **It can never be re-plated for road use in Ontario**, no matter how well it's repaired. Its value comes from usable parts and scrap metal, which is exactly what scrap car buyers pay for. Read [how car recycling works](/guides/how-car-recycling-works) to see what happens to it next. ## Selling a flood-damaged or fire-damaged car Flood and fire cause damage that often isn't visible from the outside. Water gets into wiring, computer modules, sensors and seat foam. Even after the car dries out, corrosion and mould can cause problems months later. Serious flood damage can lead to an Irreparable brand, depending on the extent of the damage. A flooded car may still have value in its body panels, wheels and mechanical parts, and its metal still has scrap value. Fire usually destroys plastics, wiring and the interior, leaving mostly metal. **A badly burned car is generally valued by weight**, plus any parts the fire didn't reach. If either happened to your car, report it to your insurer first. Flood and fire damage are usually covered under comprehensive or all-perils coverage, if your policy includes it. ## What buyers pay for when you sell a damaged car Most damaged and written-off cars sold for scrap or parts typically fetch $300 to $2,000, while a damaged car that still runs well can be worth more. Prices depend on current scrap metal rates and change month to month. Here's what a buyer looks at: - **Weight:** Heavier vehicles like pickups and SUVs contain more steel, so their base scrap value is higher. - **Where the damage is:** A car hit from behind may still have a good engine and transmission, while a hard front-end hit often damages both. - **Parts that survived:** Undamaged engines, transmissions, doors, lights and alloy wheels add value as used parts. - **Catalytic converter:** The converter holds precious metals, so a car that still has its original one is worth more. - **Brand status:** A Salvage car can appeal to rebuilders, while an Irreparable car is valued for its parts and metal only. - **Whether it runs or rolls:** A car that starts and rolls is easier to move and often has more working parts to recover. - **Completeness:** Missing wheels, batteries or panels lower the offer, though they rarely wipe out the value entirely. - **Year, make and model:** Common models have steady demand for used parts, which can lift the price. ## How to sell a written-off car Once the insurance side is settled, selling takes one call. ### Settle things with your insurer Make sure the claim is finished and you've decided if you're keeping the car. If the insurer is taking it, the sale is theirs to handle. If you're keeping it, have the ownership ready and find out which brand, if any, the car now carries. ### Get a firm offer Call (289) 349-2006 or fill in our [quote form](/get-a-quote) with the year, make, model, damage and brand. Photos help with accident cars. You'll have a firm offer in about 3 minutes. Got a higher written offer elsewhere? Show us and we’ll beat any written offer. ### We tow it away and pay you We'll book a pickup, often the same day if you call before noon. The car doesn't need to run, and towing is free from your home, a body shop or a storage yard. You sign the ownership over and get paid cash on the spot. > **Settle the insurance claim before you sell** If there's an open claim, don't sell or scrap the car until it's settled and you know who owns the car. Once an insurer pays out a total loss, the car usually belongs to them. Selling it too early can delay or complicate your claim. ## Damaged and written-off car questions ### Can I sell my car after my insurance company writes it off? Only if you kept it. When an insurer pays out a total loss, it usually takes ownership of the car, so it's no longer yours to sell. If you chose to keep the car and accepted a smaller settlement, you can sell it like any damaged vehicle, with its brand disclosed. ### What's the difference between Salvage and Irreparable in Ontario? A Salvage car is badly damaged but repairable. After repairs, a structural inspection and a safety inspection, it can be registered again with a Rebuilt brand. An Irreparable car can only be used for parts or scrap, and it can never be plated for road use in Ontario again. ### Do I have to tell a buyer my car was written off? Yes, be upfront. The brand is on the car's record and shows up on the UVIP, so buyers will find out anyway. Describing the damage and the brand accurately from the start also means your firm offer won't need to change when the driver arrives. ### Will you buy a car with deployed airbags or frame damage? Yes. We buy damaged cars in any condition, including deployed airbags, bent frames, and flood or fire damage. The damage affects the offer, so describe it honestly when you call. Our [damaged car buyers](/services/damaged-car-buyers) page explains how we handle accident vehicles. ### My car is at a tow yard or body shop. Can you pick it up there? Usually, yes. Give us the address and a contact name. Storage yards often charge daily fees, and you'll usually need to settle them before the car is released, so it pays to move quickly. Towing is free anywhere in our [service areas](/service-areas). ### Is a damaged car worth more for parts or for scrap? It depends on the car. Newer and popular models with undamaged engines, transmissions and panels often have more parts value. Older cars with heavy damage are usually valued mainly by weight. Our guide to [scrap car value](/guides/scrap-car-value) explains the factors, and our firm offer takes both into account. ## Get an offer for your damaged car Call (289) 349-2006 with the damage and the brand, and you'll have a firm cash offer in about 3 minutes. Towing is free from home, a body shop or a storage yard.