If the insurance company totals your car can they take it from you?

After they give you a check for the value of the car (less your deductible), it is their car. If you want to keep it and repair it yourself, you can buy it back for the "residual value". You can negotiate this value with the adjustor. One caution: If you keep the car you may also have to pay some storage charges to the repair shop that is holding it, especially if you do not have them make the repairs.