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Given Kentucky’s unique used car market challenges and risks, a vehicle title check is a crucial step of the used car buying process. The state suffers from a higher rate of vehicle theft and accidents compared to the national average, making it essential to verify a car's past. According to the Kentucky State Police, the state's vehicle theft rate is 25% higher than the national average with over 6,000 reported thefts in 2021. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that Kentucky has a 15% higher rate of traffic accidents per capita.
A vehicle title check can provide vital information such as:
Accident History: May help uncover past accident events, damage severity, airbag deployment, location of the damage on the vehicle as and well as any total loss branding that may have occurred due to the accident event.
Title Brands: A vehicle title is branded when it is determined to be a total loss. Most commonly this happens when the cost of repairing the damage exceeds 80% of the vehicle’s resale value. Most common title brands include salvage, flood, reconstructed, lemon and theft recovery.
Ownership History: Ownership records may include a wide range of information from registration dates to lienholder information.
Outstanding Liens: The report may be able to identify any unpaid loans or financial claims against the vehicle.
Odometer Fraud: The vehicle’s odometer reeding/mileage is recorded throughout its lifetime by various private and government agencies. A title check can spot potential inconsistencies in the reported mileage readings and help identify odometer rollback scams.
Safety Recalls: Checks for open safety recalls and provides information related to the recall.
Title Fraud: Title records may identify inconsistencies or suspicious events that can be indicative of title washing and VIN fraud.
By obtaining a comprehensive title check and having the vehicle inspected by a trusted, professional automotive technician, you can ensure the car you are considering is in good condition and meets all necessary regulations, reducing the risk of unexpected costs and legal complications.
Not Performing a Title Check at All: Many buyers skip the title check entirely, assuming the vehicle is in good condition based on appearance or seller claims. This can lead to unknowingly buying a car with a salvage title, outstanding liens or fraud-related issues.
Relying Only on the Seller’s Word: Trusting the seller’s word without verifying through an official Kentucky vehicle title search can be very risky. Some sellers may be honest and represent the vehicle to the best of their knowledge while others may withhold or be unaware of legal issues and past damage.
Ignoring VIN Discrepancies: Failing to match the VIN on the vehicle with the one on the title or report can lead to buying a stolen car or one that was involved in fraud. Always use a Kentucky title search by VIN to ensure the VIN number matches the actual car.
Overlooking Lien Status: Some buyers forget to check for active liens. If a loan is still tied to the vehicle, the lender may have legal rights to repossess it even after you’ve paid the seller.
Not Checking for Salvage or Rebuilt Titles: Vehicles with these titles have undergone major repairs, usually due to accidents or flooding. These vehicles have diminished values and sell for up to 40% off their normal resale value. Without checking for these title brands, you might overpay or face safety and insurance issues later.
Using Unreliable or Non-Government Sources: Using unverified third-party sites for a KY car title lookup may give incomplete or outdated information. Stick to trusted sources like the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet or reputable vehicle history providers like CarValid.com.
Failing to Review the Entire Report: Some buyers skim the report and miss key details like odometer readings, number of previous owners or insurance total loss records. A full review ensures you don’t overlook red flags.
Here are the thoughts expressed by some of our customers:
Verifying your vehicle title in Kentucky is a crucial step in ensuring the legitimacy and history of any vehicle you own or plan to purchase. A vehicle title check in Kentucky helps confirm whether the title is clean or if there are issues such as salvage history, flood damage, theft records or outstanding liens. By conducting a Kentucky vehicle title search, you can avoid potential legal and financial problems down the road.
To perform a KY car title lookup, you can use the Kentucky title search by VIN through authorized services like the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet or trusted online platforms like CarValid.com. Simply enter the 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to access a detailed report that includes title history, ownership changes and more.
Kentucky is home to the highest auto insurance claim rates in the country. Due to the recent wild fires a quarter of all claims were deemed as total losses. This includes catastrophic events including floods, fires and serious collisions that prompted the insurance to declare the vehicle as a total loss. You can also see the details of the damage, such as the event type, extent, and location of the damage, dates and more...
A rise in the size and length of new auto loans generated in the state of Kentucky is leading to increased delinquencies. Checking for liens and Legal ownership related records may help identify if the vehicle has any outstanding loans, liens, or judgments against it.
There are over 58 thousand cars being sold through various Kentucky based salvage and insurance auctions.
Auction records may contain images of the vehicle, sale price, sale dates, condition related items as well as lien and lender related details.
Kentucky had the highest number of motor vehicle thefts in the United States.
A title record theft indicator identifies vehicles that were reported as stolen, impounded, or exported during their history.
The state of Kentucky had the highest number of new car sales in the United States.
Sale Records can provide information about sale events related to title reassignment. It can include details such as dates, prices, states, banks, amounts and more...
Kentucky vehicle title records may include a wide array of events permanently recorded by the state. Everything from registered use of the vehicle such as Taxi, Police or Government use to Odometer Recording and Ownership History related details are recorded as a title events.
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