After a collision, one of the most stressful calls a driver can receive is that the vehicle may be a “total loss” or “write-off.” The damage may look repairable. The car may still start. You may have owned it for years, maintained it carefully, or still owe money on the loan. Yet the insurer is discussing a settlement instead of approving repairs. For Mississauga and GTA drivers, a total-loss decision is not based only on whether a technician can physically repair the vehicle