How much, if anything, can I get out of my room mate for for wrecking my car?

The insurance company doesn't need a lien release, they need a Guarantee Of Title (GOT). This is a document that is either issued by the finance company or faxed over by the insurance company for the finance company to sign. It states that if the lien holder receives the payment of the actual cash value from the insurance company, the finance company will release the title to the insurance company so that the insurance company can sell the salvage to recover some of what they have paid out. A lien release cannot be provided until payment is received.

Ask your finance company if they can just issue the GOT to the insurance company or if they need a form faxed over by the insurance company to complete and fax back.

The longest I have seen this process take is a couple of days.

insurance companies are a pain, but if you get everything sorted out and the insurance does what they said and gives calls your car totaled then they will give you the blue book value of the car, which in some cases maybe more then you paid. a friend of mine totaled his 97 civic he got 3000 from the insurance company but got the car for 1500

call the police