Definition: The term "When Insurance Totals a Car" refers to an event in which the value or cost of a vehicle exceeds its market value, thus making it unmarketable due to loss or damage, and consequently causing the owner or driver to lose ownership of their vehicle and be responsible for all costs associated with repairs or salvage. For example, if a car is totaled due to an accident that leaves it without insurance coverage, and the owner is unable to find replacement parts and cannot afford to replace the damaged parts themselves, they may choose to sell the car and accept payment in full from the vehicle's value. In this case, the total value of the car would be less than its market value. The term "when" generally refers to a moment or time frame where someone is faced with an obstacle, such as a deadline or a difficult decision. When insurance totals a car could be considered a situation where a car's worth drops below that of its market value, making it unmarketable and therefore unsellable. When you think about it, the "when" part refers to when something occurs or happens at that moment in time, while the "insurance" part is what makes things happen. In this context, "insurance totals a car" means that a company is under pressure from insurance companies to pay out more on claims than they would normally receive.