Donate a Totaled Car
Should you donate a totaled car?
Whether donating beats taking the insurance buyout depends on (a) what the insurer offered, (b) what the salvage value at auction will be, and (c) your tax bracket. As a rough rule: if the insurer offered less than 60% of your estimate of the salvage-auction value, donating is usually the better path after factoring in the tax deduction.
Use our tax-calculator on the homepage to estimate. Or call us and we'll give you a ballpark sale-price estimate based on year, make, model, and damage level.
The salvage process
Totaled vehicles sell at salvage auctions (Copart, IAA, etc.) to buyers who rebuild them, part them out, or scrap them. Sale prices vary widely — a totaled 2018 Honda Accord might sell for $4,000–7,000; a totaled 1998 Camry might sell for $400.
We sell through our auction-partner network and remit you IRS Form 1098-C showing the gross sale price. That sale price is your tax deduction.
What you need to do
Call 770-871-9422 or fill out the form at /donate-car. We schedule the pickup at the vehicle's current location (your home, shop, insurance lot if accessible). You'll need: vehicle title (or proof of ownership if insurance kept it), keys (if available), and basic damage details. Pickup is free; you sign the title to the towing partner; we handle the rest.
Most totaled-vehicle pickups happen within 24-72 hours. IRS Form 1098-C is emailed within 30-45 days of sale.
Ready to donate?
Call or text 770-871-9422, or fill the 60-second donation form. Pickup typically within 24-48 hours. IRS Form 1098-C tax receipt emailed after sale.