What does it mean when someone says the frame of a vehicle is bent and therefore totaled?

When someone says that the frame of a vehicle is bent and therefore totaled, they mean that the vehicle has sustained structural damage that compromises its safety and operability. The frame is the main supporting structure of a vehicle, and if it is bent or otherwise damaged, the vehicle's structural integrity and ability to absorb impact in a crash are significantly reduced. This poses a serious risk to the passengers' safety and is considered grounds for declaring the vehicle totaled.

A bent frame can result from various types of accidents, such as severe impacts, rollovers, or collisions with objects like trees or poles. The severity and location of the damage will determine whether a vehicle is repairable or considered a total loss.

Since repairing a damaged frame is often labor-intensive and costly, it may be deemed financially unfeasible. Totaling a vehicle involves writing it off as a loss and declaring its salvage value, which is then used to compensate the vehicle's owner.