Can I check the insurance history of a car?

grey_esp · 22-11-2011, 12:22 PM

Im in WA, I know about revs checks but I was wondering if there are any facilities available to determine if any Insurance claims have ben made on a car before IE minor repairs or if its a recovered stolen vehicle etc.

Revs will tell me if its been written off but Im more concerned that it hasnt been written off but had reapirs.

cheers

flappist · 22-11-2011, 12:32 PM

There may be a problem with privacy

Poetic Justice · 22-11-2011, 12:35 PM

You wouldn't need to know the specifics, but I don't think there is an avenue for it.

Even if you could find out that "yes, there was a claim and it was $xx worth of repairs" might give you an idea of how bad it could be ;)

LTDHO · 22-11-2011, 12:47 PM

You will find it impossible to get past insurance claims history of a car, unless you get authority from previous owners.

superfly · 22-11-2011, 01:22 PM

I doubt it's possible as well. You'd need to get it inspected by a professional to see if it's had any repairs done.

Cúl-Báire · 22-11-2011, 02:00 PM

The Revs check may show "stolen - recovered" if it has been reported stolen and recovered. As for obtaining infromation relating to previous insurance claims you've got no hope as by providing information the insurances company(s) will be in breach of various privacy laws!

grey_esp · 22-11-2011, 02:07 PM

I cant see what the privacy issues would be. Im not interested in specifics of the accident or the thefts, just the repairs carried out on the car. No different to service history really.

I just thought you would be able to look up the Vin and find the history.

Ie:
Vin# 111111 - stolen recovery
Vin# 222222 - LF impact
Vin# 333333 - Hail damaged

perhpas a list of the parts as per the invoice.

RG · 22-11-2011, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grey_esp

I cant see what the privacy issues would be. Im not interested in specifics of the accident or the thefts, just the repairs carried out on the car. No different to service history really.

I just thought you would be able to look up the Vin and find the history.

Ie:
Vin# 111111 - stolen recovery
Vin# 222222 - LF impact
Vin# 333333 - Hail damaged

perhpas a list of the parts as per the invoice.

Won't happen as there is no requirement on the owner to inform you of any repaired damage.

flappist · 22-11-2011, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grey_esp

I cant see what the privacy issues would be. Im not interested in specifics of the accident or the thefts, just the repairs carried out on the car. No different to service history really.

I just thought you would be able to look up the Vin and find the history.

Ie:
Vin# 111111 - stolen recovery
Vin# 222222 - LF impact
Vin# 333333 - Hail damaged

perhpas a list of the parts as per the invoice.

Well yes, I can see how this would be useful, just as long as anyone can look up your entire personal, credit and medical history whenever they feel like it just in case they wanted to have anything to do with you....or not....

grey_esp · 22-11-2011, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

Well yes, I can see how this would be useful, just as long as anyone can look up your entire personal, credit and medical history whenever they feel like it just in case they wanted to have anything to do with you....or not....

If im to purchase a car then should I not be able to check its history? I can check that its been serviced why cant I check that its been repaired? If Im handing over 50k for a used car would it not be due diligence to understand the history of my purchase?

Im not interested in peoples personal details I dont care who was driving, whos fault it was, how much it cost or who the insurer was, all I want to know is the details of the car. I can find its service history I can find every registered owner and their addresses, I can find out if its been written off But i cant find out if its been damaged to within a few $$ of its life and then repaired, doesnt make sence to me.

flappist · 22-11-2011, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grey_esp

If im to purchase a car then should I not be able to check its history? I can check that its been serviced why cant I check that its been repaired? If Im handing over 50k for a used car would it not be due diligence to understand the history of my purchase?

Im not interested in peoples personal details I dont care who was driving, whos fault it was, how much it cost or who the insurer was, all I want to know is the details of the car. I can find its service history I can find every registered owner and their addresses, I can find out if its been written off But i cant find out if its been damaged to within a few $$ of its life and then repaired, doesnt make sence to me.

Well yes it would be in your interest but who is going to record these details?
Are you prepared to pay for such information? Why not employ a private investigator to reseach it all for you?
Are you qualified to actually understand what the damage and repairs really mean and if so why can't you just work it out for yourself?

Oh and you can't find out every registered owner and their address or the service history unless they willingly left this info, in other words unless they want you to.

Repair data....which car do you want? The one that was hail damaged and stone chipped but otherwise driven normally or the one that is immaculate, washed ever second day but drag raced every weekend and thrashed almost to death?

There is a very easy way to make sure you get a totally undamaged car with your $50k, buy a new one.........Ford need the sale.....

LethalLeigh · 22-11-2011, 08:38 PM

Sounds like an utter Privacy Act nightmare.

Get the vehicle inspected, it will tell you a whole lot more about the car than some redacted document with names and dates and details removed. If I were spending $50k on a used car, especially something with some providence or rareness about it, I wouldn't think twice about spend a few hundred on a quality comprehensive inspection.

dogfish · 22-11-2011, 08:46 PM

Even Some New Cars have had accident repairs for example when Young D#$kheads run accross the bonnets at car yards etc. They don't write those cars off even if they have a bit of a bender in the yard they get repaired so as stated earlier it would be a nightmare.
This is why the paint thickness test is a good idea but you might as well get it done on your brand spanka as I stated before it may have had some panel bending action even before it makes it off the lot or the production line.

xisled · 23-11-2011, 01:58 AM

Basically, there is no such system that you can check, that will tell you that a certain car has been involved in an accident. A car may have been insured by 10 different insurances companies in its life time. Each company may have had 1 claim. Insurance companies do not share information with each other, unless they are trying to get money from each other or an investigation.

The reason you can get service history is because there is a paper book that can be stamped and even then it can not be correct, home services and such. Also with written off vehicles its goes onto a data base and can be accessed by the public.

grey_esp · 23-11-2011, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

Well yes it would be in your interest but who is going to record these details? Good question
Are you prepared to pay for such information?
Yes

Why not employ a private investigator to reseach it all for you?I think you have missed the point.

Are you qualified to actually understand what the damage and repairs really mean and if so why can't you just work it out for yourself? Im tired of driving around the state looking at different cars only to find they have been damaged so I was looking for a service available whereby I can punch in a VIN and have my answer saving both myself and the seller a lot of wasted time.

Oh and you can't find out every registered owner and their address or the service history unless they willingly left this info, in other words unless they want you to. Actually I can just head down to DPI with the VIN and rego number and they will give me the full rego history.

Repair data....which car do you want? The one that was hail damaged and stone chipped but otherwise driven normally or the one that is immaculate, washed ever second day but drag raced every weekend and thrashed almost to death? I just want the option to choose.

There is a very easy way to make sure you get a totally undamaged car with your $50k, buy a new one.........Ford need the sale.....

can I get a new GT for 50k? again i think you have missed the point.

AU Mont · 23-11-2011, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grey_esp

[/I] i think you have missed the point.

nah you missed the point he was making as it is a privacy issue hence why you cant get these details.

so do you think these details should be available for all cars at any given time regardless if its not for sale?

grey_esp · 23-11-2011, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AU Mont

nah you missed the point he was making as it is a privacy issue hence why you cant get these details.

so do you think these details should be available for all cars at any given time regardless if its not for sale?

Nah apparently the reason I cant get these details is because they are not recorded, but you right I must have missed the point.

For the record I dont have a problem if someone wants to pay to find out if my car has had a new guard fitted at some point in its life be it for sale or not, Ive got nothing to hide.

Thanks everyone for your input.

xisled · 23-11-2011, 05:12 PM

Deleted post.