A bill that could direct more damaged vehicles toward repair shops rather than the salvage yard passed the Rhode Island Senate last week and now moves to the House.
The Rhode Island Senate approved Senate Bill 3115 on June 3 by a 33-5 vote, according to legislative records. The bill would amend the state's Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act to raise the point at which an insurer may declare a vehicle a total loss from 80% to 85% of its pre-accident fair market value.
Under the bill, an insurer could not declare a vehicle a total loss unless repair costs exceed 85% of the vehicle's fair market value immediately before the accident, per the bill text. Consumers would retain the right to request a total loss settlement on their own at any threshold between 75% and 85%, with written authorization. The bill defines fair market value as the retail value set forth in a current edition of a nationally recognized automotive valuation compilation.
Sponsored by Sens. Hanna Gallo and Frank Ciccone, S3115 was referred to the House Corporations Committee on June 4 and was scheduled for committee consideration June 8.
Building on a 2025 threshold change
S3115 would be Rhode Island's second total loss threshold increase in two years. House Bill 6053, which passed the House 67-4 and the Senate 30-5 before taking effect without Gov. Dan McKee's signature, set the current 80% threshold. Before that change, ASA described Rhode Island as the only state that gave consumers any right to demand a vehicle be repaired rather than totaled.
A companion bill proposing the same 85% threshold was introduced in the 2025 session but did not advance, as reported at the time. HB 6053 passed instead with the lower 80% figure.
A higher threshold as total loss rates hit record highs nationwide
Total loss frequency in the U.S. reached a record 23.1% of all collision claims in 2025, according to CCC Intelligent Solutions' Crash Course 2026 report. A higher threshold keeps more borderline vehicles in the repairable column, which directly affects shop volume.
Rhode Island's collision repair framework is already among the more protective in the country, according to Auto Body Association of Rhode Island President Randy Bottella, as quoted in prior coverage. The state's existing law includes requirements for payment of documented OEM repair procedures and a three-day window for insurer vehicle inspections.
The bill must clear the House Corporations Committee and pass a full House vote before reaching the governor. The Rhode Island General Assembly's session runs through late June, according to the General Assembly website.
