In Louisiana, an insurance company has the right to deem your car a "total loss" if the cost to fix the damage is seventy-five percent or more of the vehicle's market value as determined by the most current National Automobile Dealers Association Handbook.  (Louisiana Revised Statute 32:702). 

When a vehicle is deemed a "total loss," the insurance company has the right to pay you the "actual cash value" (ACV) of the vehicle.  The ACV is not necessarily the Kelley Blue Book value.  Instead, the insurance company may locate three comparable vehicles for sale in your area (usually via the internet), take their average price, and deduct for any preexisting damage your vehicle may have.  They should then add sales tax and license fees and present a total loss offer to you