After a claim is paid, who legally owns the salvaged property?

The insurer legally owns the salvaged property after a claim is paid because, in most auto insurance policies, the agreement stipulates that once the insurance company compensates the insured for the loss, it gains the rights to any salvageable parts of the vehicle. This transfers ownership because the insurer has effectively taken on the financial risk associated with the vehicle loss. By retaining ownership of the salvaged property, the insurer can recover some of the payout through the sale or disposal of the salvage, thus mitigating its losses. This process is common across various insurance agreements, reinforcing the principle that ownership typically transfers to the party that assumes the financial responsibility for the loss.