Rhode Island Legislature Passes Bill to Raise Total Loss Threshold to 85%

For the second year in a row, Rhode Island total loss thresholds have been adjusted.

The Rhode Island General Assembly has passed legislation that would raise the threshold at which an insurer may declare a damaged vehicle a total loss to 85% of its pre-accident fair market value, up from the 80% ceiling set in state law less than a year ago. The bill now goes to Gov. Dan McKee.

For collision repair facilities, the 5-percentage-point increase would mean more heavily damaged vehicles are repaired rather than written off, directing additional work to shops at a time when used-vehicle values