Does Airbag Deployment Automatically Mean the Car Is Totaled?

Particularly when it comes to determining the degree of damage, car crashes are stressful, and the aftermath might be perplexing. If the airbag is deployed, is the car totaled? Not certainly is the short answer. But the longer solution rests on several variables, including your car’s current market value, the insurance company’s criteria for totaling a vehicle, and the cost of repairs.

This blog will cover all you should know about airbag deployment, whether the car totaled, how it impacts the value of your vehicle, what insurance companies take into account while declaring a car destroyed, and what to look forward to next.

What Happens When Airbags Deploy?

Designed to protect you during mild to extreme collisions are airbags. The airbag system is activated when sensors detect a collision force surpassing a particular level. Within milliseconds, the bags inflate to cushion your body and lower impact injuries. Once airbags have been deployed, they cannot be recycled.

The installed airbags have to be changed; depending on the number and position of airbags that go off, fixes might soon become pricey. Replacing airbags entails sensors, control modules, dashboard panels, and sometimes even steering wheels or seatbelt tensioners in addition to the bag itself.

Does an Airbag Deployed Automatically Total a Car?

Now for the fundamental question: if the airbag is deployed, is the car totaled? No, airbag deployment alone does not always total a car. It greatly affects the repair cost, though, which can drive the entire cost of restoring the automobile nearer to or beyond its actual cash value (ACV). At this point, insurance companies step in to assess whether the car should be declared a total loss or repaired.

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How Insurance Companies Decide if a Car Is Totaled?

Insurance firms consider the market value of your vehicle against the repair cost. The insurance may deem your vehicle a total loss if the repair cost, including airbag replacement, exceeds a given percentage of its worth.

• While this threshold differs depending on insurer and region, it is typically between 70% and 80% of the car’s true cash value (ACV). As an illustration:
• Your insurance may total the car if its ACV is Rs. 6,00,000 and the cost to repair after airbag deployment is Rs. 5,00,000.
• If the damage is just Rs 2,00,000, the car will most likely be repaired.

Factors influencing this choice are:

• Condition and age of vehicles
• Deployed airbags in a count
• Parts and labour costs
• Damage to the structure or frame
• Impact location (e.g., frontend crashes usually cost more)

Why Airbag Replacement Is So Expensive?

Airbags are life-saving devices packed with advanced technology and precision engineering. That’s why replacing them after a crash often comes with a hefty price tag. Several factors contribute to the high price of airbag replacement:

• Complexity: A Multitude of sensors and control modules are integrated into airbag systems.
• Components replaced: dashboard components, steering wheels, seatbelt pretensioners, occasionally whole seats.
• Handling airbag systems calls for specialist technicians and safety procedures.

Replacing only the driver’s airbag can cost Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 1,00,000, depending on the car. Full airbag system replacement can exceed Rs 3,00,000 in high-end or luxury vehicles.

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What to Do If Your Airbags Deploy?

When your airbags deploy, it’s a clear sign that your vehicle has experienced a significant impact. Knowing what to do next can help you stay safe and minimize further damage or complications.

• Examine injuries and seek medical attention if necessary.
• Report the incident and contact emergency services.
• Take pictures of the airbag deployment and the damage scene.
• Let your insurance provider know as soon as possible.
• Get an estimate from an approved workshop.
• Work with the insurance adjuster, who will examine the vehicle and decide if it is repairable or a total loss.

Can You Drive a Car After the Airbags Have Deployed?

Technically, yes, but it’s not advisable. Driving a car without working airbags jeopardizes your safety and could be illegal in certain areas. Furthermore vulnerable are your car’s other systems, including the airbag warning lamp or seatbelt pretensioners. Before committing to drive once again, always get a professional assessment.

How Airbag Deployment Affects Vehicle Resale Value?

Whether or not your car is deemed a total loss is one major consideration after airbag deployment that affects your vehicle’s resale value. Even if the car is fixed and made fully operational, its market value will most probably be less than that of a similar vehicle without an accident history.

Most consumers are wary of buying cars that have had substantial repairs, especially those including safety systems like airbags, hence the reason is clear. The occurrence gets noted in vehicle history reports (like Carfax or insurance databases) that immediately mark the car as “previously damaged” even if everything functions flawlessly following repair.

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This reduced value may depend upon:

• The mileage and age of the car
• The degree of the accident
• Qualitative analysis of the repair work
• Number of deployed airbags

Insurance companies occasionally provide a “diminished value claim,” where you might be compensated for the diminished resale value, but this is subject to your policy and local rules.

Maintaining the best possible resale value following airbag deployment calls for:

• For any repairs, work with a certified repair shop.
• Ask for a complete invoice of the work carried out.
• Maintain paperwork to prove the car is roadworthy and completely refurbished.
• Though airbag deployment does not always cause a car to be written off, it can permanently affect its market value.

What Happens If the Car Is Declared Totaled?

When a car is declared totaled, it means the cost of repairs exceeds its current market value. Understanding what happens next can help you make informed decisions about insurance, compensation, and whether to retain or release the vehicle. If your insurance company determines your vehicle is wrecked:

• Your payout will depend on the actual cash value (ACV) of your automobile before the accident, less any deductibles.
• Usually, the insurer claims ownership of the damaged car unless you choose to keep salvage rights, therefore lowering your claim payment.
• The insurance settlement will let you acquire a dependable used vehicle or a new one.

Can You Repair and Keep a Car That Was Totaled?

Yes, but with restrictions. Should you decide to keep the salvage, you can fix the car and ask for a reconstructed title. Still:

• Before it may be road legal once more, the automobile has to undergo government checks.
• In the future, insuring or selling may be challenging.
• You are liable for all repair expenses, and those repairs must satisfy safety criteria.

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How to Protect Your Car’s Value After a Crash?

After a crash, the value of your car can take a significant hit even if the repairs are on top. But there are smart, active steps that you can take to preserve its resale and trade value. Let’s see how to protect the price of your car after the crash.

• Maintain records of repairs; this will guide insurance valuations and future resale.
• Use certified repair shops and OEM components to get professional repairs.
• Think about gap insurance, especially for new or financed vehicles. It covers the shortfall between the ACV and the balance of the loan if the automobile is totaled.

Conclusion

Although airbag deployment is dangerous, it does not always imply your vehicle is a write-off. Depending on the extent of the damage and the cost of replacing deployed airbags, many cars may be totally and safely repaired after a collision. However, is a car totaled if the airbags deploy? Yes, sometimes; it depends, however, on your insurer’s evaluation and your car’s market value.

Get a professional repair estimate, contact your insurance, and ensure you’re informed before agreeing to any settlement should you find yourself in this scenario.

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