Texas total-loss offer: what to document
Texas consumer guidance focuses on the source used by the company and the evidence a vehicle owner can assemble from the local market.
What the official record says
The Texas Department of Insurance says a company considering a total loss compares the cost to repair with the vehicle’s value and may total a car even when repair cost is lower. Its July 2026 guide says you can ask what source the company used. If you disagree with the value, TDI points to quotes from used-car dealers, local online ads for similar vehicles, and documentation of special features or custom parts. Keeping the car also changes the payment through a salvage deduction.
What to check on the document
Use vehicles from the same practical market and preserve the date, seller, price, trim, mileage, and stock or VIN information when available.
- Request the report or other written source that produced the company’s number.
- Match local examples on trim, drivetrain, mileage, equipment, and title history.
- Separate the gross valuation, deductible, salvage deduction, and any other line in the offer.
How to use the result
Send a short table and supporting pages rather than a claim that one listing proves a final value. TDI also says a policyholder who still disagrees may request appraisal, but the exact policy language and cost allocation matter. Read that clause before using it. Our packet prepares the factual record for you to send and does not take over the insurance conversation.
The useful question is whether the report describes the same car and follows the rule that applies where the claim is handled. A listing is evidence of an asking price, not a conclusion about value. The free check can come back clean. If the comparables match and the report explains its adjustments, we say that the packet is probably not worth buying.
This is not an appraisal. We never state what your car is worth. We do not contact or negotiate with your insurer. You send the letter. Not legal advice; Reality Contact, LLC is not a law firm or public adjuster.