You have the right to retain your vehicle after a total loss. If you do, the insurance company will reduce your settlement by the amount they planned on selling the car for scrap. Example: If your car is worth $10,000 pre loss, and the insurance company gets a bid for it for $1,000 after it is totaled. You can take the settlement for $10,000 or retain the salvage unit and payment for $9,000. You vehicle won’t be repaired with insurance money and it will have a salvage title moving forward.