Auto Insurance Claims: Hail Damage Total Loss -- no lien holder, salvage value, hail damage

Question
I filed a claim for hail damage on a car I own outright.  The insurance company says they are going to declare it a total loss. I read your answer to a previous question.  But in that case there was a lienholder that had the authority to sell the car. Since I have full title to the car, there is no lienholder. Can the insurance company compell me to sell?

Answer
In most states, they cannot compel you to sell them the salvage.  You can "owner retain" the salvage.  Meaning they will pay you the value of the vehicle, minus an amount they could have sold the salvage for.  They will need to estimate the salvage value.

Keep in mind that if you keep the vehicle, the title will be "branded" as a salvage vehicle.  You will need to have it repaired and then follow the procedures in your state to get permission to put it back on the road.  This will likely involve a state inspection.