[legion]

The insurance company wants to total the car because the cost to repair it exceeds what it is worth. It is purely an economic decision. Handing the daughter a check for the value of the car, pre-accident, to go buy a vehicle of similar condition and age is cheaper than fixing it.

The next three questions depend on the state the vehicle is licensed in. Most states will supply a salvage title. Some will not. Whether it can be inspected depends on the laws in that state. My state has no vehicle inspections, so there is no issue there.