One of the most important parts of an entire vehicle is the axle because of how it allows the wheels to rotate. Given that the axle is so important, it is needless to say that a broken axle will render the vehicle unusable.
If you somehow got into an accident and the car’s axle was broken, does that mean that your car is now a total wreck?
Is my car totaled if the axle is broken?
In most cases, insurance companies will categorize a broken axle as “serious damage” that is already enough to declare the car totaled. There are some instances where a broken axle can still be repaired, but most insurance companies would rather declare it a total wreck instead.
The thing about a broken axle is that, while it might still be repairable, it can compromise the overall stability and handling of a car – read more here on how long a CV axle lasts.
As such, most insurance companies would declare a broken axle as a cause for the vehicle’s total loss.
After all, it still is better to be safe when it comes to your car’s axle being broken as a result of a crash.
How do you tell if your car will be totaled?
When you are talking about your car and the damage that it suffered from an accident, what you need to know is that insurance companies are going to be quick at assessing the condition of the car after the crash.
The reason is that the insurance company is the one responsible for declaring whether or not the car is already a total loss.
Even though it is usually the insurance company that declares a car a total wreck, there are still some indications that you can use to tell if your car will be totaled after a crash.
Here are some of the indications that could lead your car to be totaled:
- When the extent of the damage is up to the point where the repair costs will be greater or are nearly as great as the amount needed to replace it, then it would be possible that your car will be declared a total wreck. In this case, the insurance company will refuse to pay for the repairs but will give you enough money to replace the car.
- If the car has any leaking fluids such that it is impossible to drive it, then that could mean that it would be a total loss as far as the insurance company is concerned. This is possibly due to how the repairs are going to be too expensive.
- Older cars that are nearly 20 years old are going to be declared a total loss if they end up in a crash unless the car is a vintage. The reason here is that the car isn’t worth much money anymore. And even if the car can be repaired, it is also quite possible that the repairs would exceed the entire cost of the old car.
- Serious damages can be considered reasons for the insurance company to declare the car totaled. This can include damages such as serious dents and extensive damage to the drivetrain and the other components found under the hood of the vehicle. Even if these parts can still be repaired, insurance companies will still declare the car a total loss because they would rather pay the price for a new one instead of having the car repaired and then risking more insurance claims in the future.
Is my car totaled if the axle is broken?
If your car ends up in a crash and the axle is broken, does that mean that the car is totaled? In most cases, this falls under the “serious damage” case because of how important the axle is to the entire vehicle.
While axle repairs aren’t going to cost just as much as the entire vehicle itself, the problem here is that an insurance company will now see your vehicle as a huge risk that can possibly lead to more insurance claims in the future.
The reason is that the axle is a very important part of a car because of how it is responsible for moving the tires.
So, if the axle gets damaged due to an accident, having the axle repaired won’t really be an assurance that the car will be as good as new.
Essentially, your car becomes a huge insurance risk because of how the repaired axle can still end up failing in the future.
As such, instead of paying for the repairs of a car with a broken axle, the insurance company would just rather declare the car a total loss and then pay for a new car.
In such a case, the risks are lower for the insurance company even though the expenses of covering the price of a new car may be higher.
However, if your axle damage is a result of normal use and not from an accident, then you can still have it repaired.
How much does it cost to fix an axle in a car?
If you detect that your car’s axle is now in need of repairs, the cost of having it repaired will vary from one car to another.
Depending on the make and model of the car, the price can range from $500 to $1,000 for having your front axle fixed. Meanwhile, the rear axle is perhaps somewhere between $400 to $600.
You also have to factor in labor costs for the repair. In most cases, the labor cost for repair can vary from $50 to $150 depending on where you live and on how long it would take to repair the damaged axle.
So, when you factor in the labor costs, you could very well end up with thousands of dollars in expenses.
There are some cases where a broken axle repair can cost nearly as much as a new car. But, in most instances, axle repairs are usually not as expensive as a new car.
Is axle damage covered by insurance?
Finally, what you need to know is that axle damage is almost always never covered by insurance. In accidents, axle damage can be a cause for the insurance company to declare the car a total loss because of how the costs or repair and the risks associated with the repaired car can end up costing the company more.
Meanwhile, if your axle damage was due to normal wear and tear while driving, then there is no reason to believe that the insurance company will cover this repair.
You will hardly find any insurance company that will cover the repair costs of damage caused by normal wear and tear or mechanical breakdown.
Sources
Car-ed.com: Should my car be totaled?
Impact Autobody: What does it cost to repair an axle
Answer to all: Is your car totaled if the axle is broken?
Sundevilauto.com: 4 ways to tell if your cars axles need repair
