If I have an open claim on a totaled car, how do I handle the insurance?

There's a couple of things to think about.

First, canceling the coverage on this vehicle will not cancel the claim. As long as the policy was active at the time of the accident (which it sounds like it was), you should be fine.

Second, if your car is totaled, you can cancel your insurance if you are not getting another car in the near future. The insurance company would still need to address the claim since it happened while the policy was in effect. When you do start a new policy, you will have a lapse in coverage, which means the rates can increase. Insurance companies give you a better rate for having continuous insurance. If you would like to maintain insurance and not own a car or drive a specific vehicle regularly, you can get a non-owners policy which is typically much cheaper than a regular auto policy. Good luck and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.