does having a totaled car that is paid off by insurance increase your credit?

No but it will increase your insurance rates!!

Credit ratings are based on a combination of payment history and debt-to-income ratio.

As far as payment history is concerned, it won't have any effect unless you've been making payments for a while.

Obviously, your total debt just decreased by several thousand dollars, so this will impact your credit, at least a little. However, without a history of payments, your rating probably will return to about where it was BEFORE you bought your Scion.

If the car was one of your first credit purchases, you can at least be happy to know that your credit is now established. Once you've successfully gotten your first loan, they should be easier to get in the future.

Good luck!

It will definately NOT raise your credit, but it WILL raise your insurance rates depending on the type and amount of claim and whether you were at fault or not.

Nope, you didn't establish a payment history where they can see how you pay your bills.

But on the other hand it might bring it up, because you don't owe that money.

prob but call up an credit comp and ask

Slightly, probably, but not enough to get all excited about.

I doubt it.