Two different methods, one decision
Every state requires insurers to total a car once repair costs cross a certain point relative to its value — but states don't agree on how to measure that point. There are two approaches in use across the U.S.:
- Simple percentage threshold. If repair cost reaches a fixed percentage of the vehicle's actual cash value (ACV), it's a total loss. Example: a $10,000 car in a 75%-threshold state becomes a total loss once repairs reach $7,500 — regardless of salvage value.
- Total Loss Formula (TLF). A car is a total loss once repair cost + expected salvage value meets or exceeds ACV. Using the same $10,000 car with $7,500 in damage and an estimated $1,000 salvage value: $7,500 + $1,000 = $8,500, which is still under $10,000 — so this same damage would not be a total loss under TLF, even though it would be under a 75%-only rule.
Total-loss threshold by state
The table below reflects a July 2026 compiled review by Policygenius, a licensed insurance broker that publishes and periodically updates state-by-state insurance comparisons. It is a secondary compilation, not a citation to each state's statute directly — always verify your state's current rule with your state insurance department before relying on a specific number. Click any state for its own page with a worked example and a link straight into the checker.
| State | Threshold |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 75% |
| Alaska | Total Loss Formula |
| Arizona | Total Loss Formula |
| Arkansas | 70% |
| California | Total Loss Formula |
| Colorado | 100% |
| Connecticut | Total Loss Formula |
| Delaware | Total Loss Formula |
| Florida | 80% |
| Georgia | Total Loss Formula |
| Hawaii | Total Loss Formula |
| Idaho | Total Loss Formula |
| Illinois | Total Loss Formula |
| Indiana | 70% |
| Iowa | 70% |
| Kansas | 75% |
| Kentucky | 75% |
| Louisiana | 75% |
| Maine | Total Loss Formula |
| Maryland | 75% |
| Massachusetts | Total Loss Formula |
| Michigan | 75% |
| Minnesota | 70% |
| Mississippi | Total Loss Formula |
| Missouri | 80% |
| Montana | Total Loss Formula |
| Nebraska | 75% |
| Nevada | 65% |
| New Hampshire | 75% |
| New Jersey | Total Loss Formula |
| New Mexico | Total Loss Formula |
| New York | 75% |
| North Carolina | 75% |
| North Dakota | 75% |
| Ohio | Total Loss Formula |
| Oklahoma | 60% |
| Oregon | 80% |
| Pennsylvania | Total Loss Formula |
| Rhode Island | Total Loss Formula |
| South Carolina | 75% |
| South Dakota | Total Loss Formula |
| Tennessee | 75% |
| Texas | 100% |
| Utah | Total Loss Formula |
| Vermont | Total Loss Formula |
| Virginia | 75% |
| Washington | Total Loss Formula |
| Washington, D.C. | 75% |
| West Virginia | 75% |
| Wisconsin | 70% |
| Wyoming | 75% |
Check your own numbers against your state's rule
The Total-Loss Threshold Checker turns the table above into an interactive check — pick your state, enter your repair estimate and ACV (plus an estimated salvage value if your state uses the Total Loss Formula), and it applies the correct method automatically.
Why some states set the bar lower than 100%
A threshold below 100% isn't only about repair economics — it's also a safety rule. A car can have hidden structural or safety-system damage (bent frame, damaged sensors, compromised airbags) that isn't fully visible in a repair estimate. States with lower thresholds, like Oklahoma at 60%, are more likely to keep a heavily damaged car off the road as a total loss rather than repaired and returned to service, compared to a state like Texas at 100%.
What this guide cannot tell you
It cannot tell you your state's threshold with legal certainty — insurance regulations change, and this table reflects one compiled secondary review as of mid-2026, not a direct reading of every state's current statute or administrative code. It also cannot tell you what your specific vehicle's ACV or salvage value actually is; for that, see How Insurers Value a Total-Loss Vehicle and run your own numbers through the Total-Loss Offer Audit calculator.