How it works
Where our data comes from
A VIN is a car's fingerprint. Every time a car is titled, insured, written off, auctioned or reported stolen in the US or Canada, that event is recorded against its VIN. We bring those records together in one report.
NMVTIS title records
The US National Motor Vehicle Title Information System is a federal database that collects title and brand data from state motor vehicle agencies, insurers, and junk and salvage yards. It's the best single source for finding salvage, flood and rebuilt cars.
Insurance & salvage databases
Insurers and salvage yards must report cars they declare a total loss. If an insurer paid out on a car, it shows up here, even if the title was later "washed" in another state.
Police accident & theft reports
Premium reports include police-reported crashes (with impact area and airbag deployment) and theft or recovery reports.
Auction archives
Many damaged cars are sold at salvage auctions before being shipped to West Africa. We show the auction date, location and reported damage.
NHTSA vehicle data
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration publishes factory specifications and safety recalls, which we use to decode every VIN for free.
Why this matters in Nigeria
Most used cars imported into Nigeria come from the United States and Canada, many bought at insurance and salvage auctions. A car can be flooded in a hurricane, written off by an insurer, sold at auction, repaired abroad and arrive in Lagos looking brand new. Its paperwork here won't tell you any of that. Its VIN history will.
What a report can't tell you
- Damage that was never reported to police or an insurer
- Anything that happened after the car left North America
- Full history for cars built for, and only ever registered in, Europe, Asia or the Middle East
- The car's current mechanical condition
That's why we always recommend a physical inspection alongside your report.