The Total Loss Formula is the cost of repairs + salvage value after loss > Actual Cash Value. So if the TLT or TLF is not met, your car will be written-off.

How much damage until a car is written off?

The other reason it takes surprisingly little for your car to be written off is that insurance companies are only looking at whether it's "economical" to repair your car. Usually, this means your car's a write-off if it costs more than 50% or 60% of the car's value to repair it.

How do you tell if your car is a write off?

After an accident, your car is considered a write-off if it's beyond repair or would cost more to fix than the value of the car itself.