If you are in the red with your car loan, you can add yourself to a long list of other car owners in Kentucky. It is not uncommon as you think to receive a low settlement check from your insurance provider when your auto loan vehicle is totaled. If you recently totaled your car, and you still owe money on your car loan, you may be in for a rude awakening. Likewise, if you already made a claim with your insurance company, and received a check that did not seem very fair, you may also be in for some bad news.
Continue reading to learn the most important points about auto loans and total loss cars, including what your options might be if you still owe on your loan or got a low settlement.
Actual Cash Value and GAP Coverage
When it comes to your automotive coverage, your vehicle is probably insured at “Actual Cash Value”, which estimates the value of your car at the time of loss. Such assessments consider depreciation, market value, and more. So, if you were not able to make at least a 20% down payment on your car, you should have been encouraged to opt for GAP insurance, which basically protects against the depreciation loss of a car that is more than the amount of money you owe a creditor on that car. This means if you had a GAP policy, it would pay the difference between what the car is worth and what you owe.
For example: you purchase a car with a 5 year automotive loan. After one year, you total the car. Your car is now worth less than what you still owe, and the insurance check you receive for the accident claim will not cover the amount you have left on the loan because the majority of the payments you’ve made over the last year went straight to interest, and the car depreciated significantly.
This situation happens every day to millions of car owners across the country. If this happens to you, your best option would be to forfeit your loss and consider GAP insurance coverage on your next vehicle purchase. If you have an old auto loan that you are still paying off after totaling a car, avoid combining it with a new auto loan. This is a setup for many problems. Furthermore, it is important to know that warranties are not covered in a total loss situation, so you will be obligated to fulfill your financial duty even though you are no longer have the car.
Where to Get Advice on Total Loss Cars
Call GC’s Junk Cars at 502-804-5605 if you have a totaled car in Louisville and its surrounding areas. Not only do we buy all vehicles, regardless of age, make, model, and condition, we also payout the highest returns for junk vehicles in Kentucky. Just accept our offer and we will come pick up your junk car! No title? No problem! Contact us today to request a free estimate.
