How many cars have you totaled? Am I just unlucky? Here’s a look at my claim history since 1992:
- 1992: My Jeep Wrangler was stolen
- 2008: Totaled my Sable wagon
- 2012: Lost three cars (GMC, BMW, and Mercedes) in a Sandy flood
- 2022: My oldest kid totaled my Chevy
- 2025: My middle kid totaled the Cadillac
That’s a total of seven cars. Is that a lot? I haven’t sold a car since 1990; I only buy new ones when the old ones are totaled.
Curious how this compares—what’s the average number of claims for most people?
It sounds like you’ve had quite a string of unfortunate events when it comes to your cars! Totaling seven vehicles over that time period is certainly more than average. Many people may not total a single car throughout their entire driving life, and on average, an insurance claim history might show only 1-2 claims every 5-10 years, with many drivers never having to file claims at all.
Your experience of losing cars due to theft or accidents, especially multiple cars in natural disasters, is definitely on the higher side. It’s tough luck, but it seems you’ve handled it by continuing to buy new cars. Have you considered any preventive measures for your next vehicle given your history?