Will Travelers Insure a Rebuilt Title?

Last Updated on November 6, 2024

Travelers does not insure vehicles with a rebuilt title.

If you have a vehicle with a former salvage title, then you cannot buy insurance for that vehicle through Travelers. Even if the vehicle is repaired and has received a rebuilt title, Travelers will not provide insurance for that vehicle.

Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about rebuilt titles and Travelers.

Key Takeaways:

• Travelers does not insure rebuilt title vehicles – Travelers will not provide insurance for vehicles with a rebuilt or salvage title, even if the vehicle has been fully repaired and passed safety inspections.
• Other insurers may offer coverage – Major insurers like GEICO, State Farm, and Nationwide offer insurance for rebuilt title vehicles, although documentation and higher premiums are typically required.
• Increased risk and reduced value – Rebuilt title vehicles are riskier to insure due to potential hidden damage or substandard repairs, and they generally have lower value, contributing to Travelers’ decision to decline coverage.
• Insurance options vary for rebuilt titles – Some insurers offer only liability coverage for rebuilt title vehicles, while others may provide full coverage, with premiums often higher than for standard vehicles.

No, Travelers Will Not Insure a Rebuilt Title

Travelers does not cover salvage title vehicles, rebuilt titles, or other titles associated with former salvage vehicles.

Even if your vehicle has been rebuilt to pre-loss condition and has received a rebuilt title, you cannot obtain insurance for that vehicle through Travelers.

Although Travelers does not insure vehicles with a rebuilt title, other insurers do. You may be able to receive liability-only coverage or even full coverage car insurance through GEICO, State Farm, Nationwide, and other major insurers. However, be prepared to provide extensive documentation of the repair process. Insurers also tend to charge higher rates.

Why Doesn’t Travelers Cover Rebuilt Title Vehicles?

Most insurers, including Travelers, do not cover rebuilt title vehicles.

Rebuilt title vehicles used to have a salvage title. Even if the vehicle is rebuilt, it has much lower value than comparable vehicles.

Rebuilt title vehicles are also riskier to insure: there may be hidden damage or substandard repairs, for example, that increase the risk of an accident. Because Travelers doesn’t know anything about the rebuilt title vehicle or repairs performed on that vehicle, they err on the side of caution by declining insurance for rebuilt titles.

How to Get Insurance for a Rebuilt Title Vehicle

Travelers doesn’t offer rebuilt title car insurance. However, many of its larger competitors will happily insure your rebuilt title car.

All of the following insurers offer rebuilt title car insurance:

• Allstate
• American Family
• GEICO
• Farmers
• Infinity
• Kemper
• Nationwide
• State Farm
• USAA

Not all insurers offer full coverage car insurance for vehicles with rebuilt titles. Some only offer liability coverage, for example, providing limited protection for your own vehicle after an accident.

Smaller insurers in your area could also offer rebuilt title car insurance. Check local insurance rankings, then contact insurers to get the best rates and coverage.

What is a Rebuilt Title?

A rebuilt title is a title issued for a car that previously had a salvage title but has been repaired to working condition.

When a vehicle has a rebuilt title, it means someone has fixed the vehicle to a point where it passes a safety inspection, allowing it to be safely and legally driven on public roads.

Although the car has been repaired, the salvage title follows the vehicle around. It’s part of the vehicle’s permanent record, and you cannot remove the salvage title from the vehicle’s record. Even if your vehicle is visually identical to another vehicle of the same make and model, it’s treated differently because of its salvage title.

Salvage Titles vs. Rebuilt Titles

The terms “salvage title” and “rebuilt title” are often used interchangeably. However, they refer to different types of titles:

• Salvage titles are titles attached to vehicles that are badly damaged and generally considered a total loss. Some of these vehicles can be repaired, but insurance has determined it’s not worth fixing. It may cost more to fix the vehicle than the vehicle is worth, for example. The vehicle receives a salvage title, indicating it’s unsafe to drive. No major insurance company, including Travelers, provides insurance to salvage title vehicles.
• Rebuilt titles are issued when a car with a salvage title completes repairs and passes a safety inspection. The insurance company may have sold a salvage title vehicle to a repair shop, for example. The repair shop fixes the vehicle to a point where it passes a safety inspection, allowing it to receive a rebuilt title.

Not all salvage title vehicles are eligible to become rebuilt titles. Some vehicles have a “non-repairable” salvage title, which means they cannot be repaired to be safe or drivable. However, these vehicles could be used for parts.

How Rebuilt Title Vehicle Insurance Works

Travelers doesn’t offer rebuilt title vehicle insurance.

However, if the company did offer rebuilt title vehicle insurance, it would function differently than ordinary vehicle insurance:

• Some insurers only provide liability coverage on vehicles with a rebuilt title. Others, including State Farm, provide full coverage car insurance.
• Insurers perform greater due diligence on vehicles with a rebuilt title. They may require multiple photos of the vehicle, a certified mechanic statement, and more, for example, before providing car insurance. Your insurer may require evidence like:
  • Certified mechanic’s statement to verify the car works and is safe to drive
  • Photos and videos of your vehicle to indicate any pre-existing damage to a vehicle (say, if you’re involved in an accident in the future)
  • The original repair estimate for your vehicle
• If your rebuilt title vehicle only has liability coverage, you have limited protection for your own vehicle after an accident. Liability coverage covers damage and injuries to other people but not your own vehicle. You may need to pay for some repairs out of pocket.
• Rebuilt title vehicle insurance is typically much more expensive than ordinary car insurance. There’s greater risk with covering rebuilt title vehicles, and insurers charge higher premiums to offset this risk.

Final Word

Travelers, like many insurers, will not insure a vehicle with a rebuilt title.

If you need insurance for a rebuilt title vehicle, then State Farm, GEICO, Progressive, and Allstate are some of the best large insurers offering rebuilt title coverage.

Contact the insurers above to request a quote for your rebuilt title vehicle.