How to check a car for involvement in an accident

How to check a car by VIN before buying

Buying a car on the secondary market involves some risk: the car may be in collateral or be restored after an accident. In this article, I will tell you how not to buy a pig in a poke and check the vehicle for legal cleanliness and accidents before drawing up a sales contract. Moreover, this can be done both free and quickly, but for a small fee.

Collecting information on free services

We just need access to the Internet and government. car number (you can find it out from the seller by phone or look at the photos of the car). If you want to feel like a super agent and know everything in advance, then you need to get the full name and date of birth of the potential seller.

1. Checking the car for an accident according to the state. number

In fact, the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate has long taken care of motorists and has developed a convenient car checking service https://gibdd.rf/check/auto/. Here you can get free complete and reliable information about registration actions, traffic accidents, prohibitions and restrictions related to the car.

The only problem is that you need a VIN code to run the check. Therefore, if you choose a car remotely, for example through Avito, or the seller does not have documents with a VIN in his hands, the traffic police website will be useless. But there is one “trick” that will help us a lot - knowing the state number of the car, we can easily get the VIN code!

I once wrote about buying a diagnostic card online. So, to check its authenticity, I had to use the EAISTO database. The meaning of its work is that by using the state number you can find out about the current diagnostic card for the car, while the EAISTO check service issues the coveted VIN.

Just write the car number and press the “find” button. As a result, we get something like this (I painted over the number):

In addition to the code we are looking for, we can find out whether we will have to pay for a diagnostic card after purchasing the car or whether we can use the old one. Also, by the date of diagnosis, you can find out how long ago the car was insured (usually the card and insurance are done at the same time), and therefore indirectly understand the owner’s plans for its sale.

So, let's move on to the next stage.

2. Find out the history of the car by VIN code

We go to the above-mentioned traffic police website https://gibdd.rf/check/auto/:

We write the VIN at the top and click on all the links “request verification”, not forgetting to enter the numbers from the captcha pictures.

The State Traffic Inspectorate will tell us a lot of interesting things. For example, registration history:

What can you learn from this example? Firstly, the car has been traveling around Russia since 2003. Secondly, she changed many owners. Frequent “re-registration” at short intervals may indicate that there is a “jamb” in the car, which, when identified, each subsequent owner tries to get rid of the car as quickly as possible. This, at a minimum, should alert you, or better yet, serve as a reason to leave this option “on the shelf.”

Go ahead. Here is the most interesting thing, namely, the car is “not broken, not painted” or has a history of accidents (the database contains data from the beginning of 2015):

This information should be compared with the dates of re-registrations. If the car was sold after an accident, then most likely the damage was serious. Knowledge of the places of damage, coupled with a careful inspection of the body, will force the silent seller to tell where and how he “scratched” the bumper. It should be understood that the car could have received very minor damage, but knowing about them, you can reduce the price.

Now the most interesting part is checking for wanted status and the presence of restrictions (arrests):

In our example, the car is not wanted, but restrictions are imposed on it - a ban on registration actions. Until this entry disappears, you don’t even have to talk about buying this car with the seller. The seller has a debt recognized by the court and is being executed by the bailiffs. This could be mortgage debt, or maybe car loan debt.

Remember at the beginning of the article I talked about super agents? I hope you already know the name of the seller...

3. We break the seller into debt

Everything is simple here, go to the website of the Federal Bailiff Service http://fssprus.ru and enter the seller’s data into the form:

Click the “Find” button and enjoy your powerful results:

In the example, issuance by full name without date of birth. The more data, the more accurate the result. What is worth paying attention to here? First, look for the presence of writs of execution against the seller - if there are many of them, then restrictions may be imposed on the car. It will be difficult to register such a car with the traffic police. Secondly, pay attention to the number of traffic police fines.

4. Checking the car for fines

If you have the number of the registration certificate and the state license plate of the car, you can find out all the ins and outs about the fines of its owner using the resource https://govtdd.rf/check/fines/.

Perhaps our seller is a fan of “driving”, and this leads to an assumption about how the car was operated. In addition, if there are a large number of unpaid fines (depending on the traffic police department and the subject of the Russian Federation), a problem may arise when deregistering the car.

5. We look to see if the car is pledged

In order to check whether a car is pledged, you need to open the website of the register of pledges of the Federal Notary Chamber: https://www.reestr-zalogov.ru/search/index

On this site we will be interested in the “Find in the registry” item. Next, select the search tab “By information about the subject of collateral”, enter the vehicle VIN in the input field and click the “Find” button. If the search returns an empty result, then everything is fine and the car is not pledged.

Comprehensive verification through a paid service

You can also obtain detailed information about the history of ownership and operation of a particular vehicle through the paid service “Autocode”.

This official service can provide a complete and accurate report on any car operating in the Russian Federation, by VIN, chassis number or state registration plate. In addition to information from the traffic police databases, you can find out there:

• Number of owners
• Mileage
• Checking databases for theft and accidents
• Use as a taxi
• Customs history

Currently, the cost of preparing a report in this service is 349 rubles.

We told you about all the ways to break into a car. We hope that you will come across only legally clean cars and honest sellers.

Checking a car for an accident

Checking a car for accidents is something that should not be neglected when purchasing a used vehicle. Thanks to the online service "AutoHistory" you can find out whether the car was involved in traffic accidents, what damage it received, and also see photos from the scene of the accident (not always available). Thanks to photographs, information such as the degree of damage received, damage to the engine, chassis or body becomes available.

Why is this information needed?

If the car was involved in traffic accidents, then this is a direct indicator of a decrease in selling value. Moreover, despite the restoration work carried out, the seller must indicate that the car was damaged. This information will certainly put off many buyers, but will attract resellers demanding lower prices.

You need to check the car for accidents before buying, so as not to discover an unpleasant surprise under the hood later. If the traffic accident was minor, then there is no need to worry, especially if repairs and restoration work are carried out in a timely manner.

How to find out if a car has been in an accident?

You can check a vehicle for an accident using the VIN code through the State Traffic Inspectorate. And here there are two options:

• Contact the department directly and request information about whether or not the vehicle has been involved in accidents. Information is provided free of charge, but for quite a long time due to waiting in queues and wasting time on requests.
• In an accident according to the state. number, VIN number or chassis, you can check any car on the State Traffic Inspectorate website. But this method also has its drawbacks. First of all, the imperfection of the system, which often experiences failures. Plus, the information is provided for a relatively short period of time – since 2015.

How to check?

Checking your car for an accident through AutoHistory is quick and easy. All that is needed for this is the state. number or VIN of the car that needs to be punched.

How to check a car: you need to insert the number into the form, and then click “Check”. A few minutes after payment, you will receive a full report on the desired car by email.

From the report you can find out the date and exact time when the accident with the vehicle being checked was recorded, its type and the region in which the incident occurred.

It also happens when the traffic police database does not contain information about whether any of the vehicles under investigation took part in an accident. However, this does not mean that the car is not damaged. Don't let your guard down - before purchasing, you should spend a little time thoroughly checking the car for damage.

How it works?

Checking a car for an accident by VIN and license plate number is possible thanks to the interaction of the Autocode online service with databases from the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, ROSSTAT, VAS RF, FSSP, RASA and NBKI, which allow you to find out all the information about the car of interest:

• car history;
• legal purity;
• general information and detailed configuration of the model;
• technical inspection information;
• exact mileage;
• average market price and other information.

The information that can be obtained through the service is more than enough to make the final decision - buy a new one or look for another car.

Why is this beneficial?

Checking a car for an accident through our service is quite simple. You get rid of the need to personally contact government agencies. It is beneficial to have your car checked for accidents for several reasons:

• a few minutes to enter data;
• 1-15 minutes – waiting for verification;
• a few minutes to study the report.

The time spent at this stage will save a lot of effort and nerves in the future. If an inattentive buyer purchased a damaged car without knowing it, the blame lies not only with the seller, but also with the new owner, who did not bother to check the history of the car. Be more careful and know how to check a car before purchasing through the AutoHistory online service!

Checking the car's participation in accidents and traffic accidents

Checking the car's participation in accidents and traffic accidents

As practice shows, more than 75% of vehicles offered for sale have been in an accident at least once. But the seller often hides this fact so as not to lose money. Therefore, before concluding a deal, it is recommended to check the car for accidents. Check the car for an accident by VIN or state license. number in just 5 minutes using the Autocode service.

How to find out if a car has been in an accident

If you decide to purchase a used car, be sure to check the selected vehicle in advance. This way you will avoid empty views (which is especially important if the car is located in another region) or you will be able to bargain based on the results of the inspection. You can find out whether a car has been in an accident by its VIN or state registration number. number online.

What other information can you get:

• Number of owners
• Mileage
• Presence of encumbrances
• Being hijacked
• History of fines
• Cost of compulsory motor insurance, etc.

With all this data it will be much easier to make a choice.

Why is it important to check your car for accidents?

Denis Lukin, auto expert

“It is necessary to have your car damaged in an accident not only because you don’t want to overpay for a damaged car. Deception is an unpleasant thing, but it’s one thing to simply have a painted bumper, on which one day the varnish begins to peel off and the paint and putty fall off. It’s another matter if the car has been in a serious accident and is welded from several parts, or the geometry of the body has not been completely straightened, and therefore its structure is weakened. The car can be torn apart while driving. If two parts are welded, the airbags may not deploy during an accident or may deploy randomly without any collision. Therefore, checking a car for accidents before purchasing is the first and most important necessity.”

Dmitry, did not check the car before purchasing

“I purchased a one-year-old Kia Sportage in excellent condition and with low mileage. I was incredibly happy! A little later, while driving in the car, something began to tap and noises appeared. A few more months later, when replacing the wheels, I saw cracks on the bottom. I looked under the engine and there were dents on the crankcase protection. When I took it off, I realized that almost everything inside was cracked, as if from a good blow. And from above the car looks like new. It is necessary to do an examination, and this costs a lot. In the salon, of course, they say that everything was intact when it was sold. And you can't prove anything. Looks like the repairs will cost me a pretty penny. Or you’ll have to sell the car at half the price.” I haven't decided yet. I still had to check the car for accidents online in the showroom.”

Mikhail, didn’t check the car before buying

“Two years ago I bought a car in Moscow. When they began to conduct an inspection with the seller, it was already dark outside. I didn’t know how to check the car otherwise. We entered into a simple written purchase and sale agreement. In general, I saw that the car was damaged already at home. There was hidden damage on the car - the gearbox and the left side of the car were broken. While driving, you can hear the suspension cracking. There is not a word about this in the DCP. The seller says he didn't know about the damage. I am the third owner according to documents, I found and contacted the first owner. He said that he sold the car to a dealer in a very bad condition. I really want to return the money, but the reseller has disappeared. Until he is found, the issue with the car will not be resolved.”

Why is it better to get your car in an accident using Autocode?

Most online services do not allow you to check whether a car is damaged or not without a VIN code. This confuses those who are faced with buying a used car for the first time. On the Autocode portal, it is possible to both check a car for an accident by vin, and check only by state number.

What other advantages of the service are:

• Checking cars for accidents from any region;
• Request by state number, vin code and body number;
• Generating a full report in one click;
• Convenient mobile application, you can take it with you to the transaction;
• It has been operating on the market for more than 7 years, thousands of drivers have already appreciated all the advantages of the service.

Separately, it should be noted that since 2017, information on a Japanese car can be accessed on Autocode. Previously, this information could only be found through the traffic police using the body number (remember that cars from the land of the rising sun do not have a VIN code).

The report is compiled on the basis of data from government and commercial sources, including: checking the car for accidents on the basis of the traffic police, executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, judicial authorities, large insurance companies, etc. Thus, you receive data about any officially registered incident: date, location, type of accident.

Checking accidents by VIN or state number on the portal is much faster than searching for data on several sites. By requesting a full report on the Autocode website online, you can be sure that you will not make a mistake with your choice.

How to check a car for involvement in an accident 💻 online and free

When buying a car secondhand, it is important to know whether it was involved in an accident. It is very difficult to visually determine this fact, since the vehicle undergoes serious preparation for sale. Therefore, before purchasing it, it is necessary to check the car for an accident using servers, where the fact of an accident that occurred with a particular vehicle is recorded.

Basic verification methods

There are two ways to check whether a car has been involved in an accident. First of all, you need to check with the owner of the car for its VIN code. It represents the number assigned to the vehicle at the factory. It is entered into the traffic police or insurance company database, where information about accidents is stored. Numbering is used to designate them. However, information about an accident by incident number is only available upon a personal visit to the traffic police.

Visual inspection

An expert will tell you how to find out if a car has been in an accident using a visual inspection. He will conduct a thorough examination of the car for defects. If it is not possible to contact him, you can arrange an examination yourself. In this case, it is necessary to act in stages.

1. Inspect the car's covering. Pay attention to the roof, hood and sides. It is better to study the latter by squatting down. This makes it easier to notice the defect.
2. Review the quality of the joints. Their width should be uniform throughout the entire connection.
3. If you think there is putty on your car, apply a magnet to the suspicious area. Having fallen, he will confirm your guesses.
4. Try opening and closing doors. If the geometry of the body is broken, your actions will lead to the formation of extraneous sound.
5. Pay attention to the uniformity of the car's paint.
6. Check the glass production dates using the stamps located on them.

The vehicle inspection is carried out in good lighting and without time restrictions. In this case, the vehicle must be clean. You need to check your car for involvement in an accident using the database even if no defects are found.

Checking the traffic police database online

Checking a car by VIN code for an accident through the traffic police is free. To take advantage of this opportunity online, you need to complete the following steps.

1. Login to the page of the official website of the traffic police.
2. Go to the topic “Vehicle check”, which is located in the “Services” section.
   
3. Enter the vehicle code in the “Vin/body/chassis” field.
   
4. Selecting a line that checks for participation in an accident.
5. Continue the operation by clicking on the “Request Verification” button.

The information becomes available after the captcha is entered. The database stores information about road accidents committed no later than 2015 and recorded by traffic police officers. If during the accident the owner of the vehicle did not resort to their help, information about this incident will not be there.

It is worth noting that accident statistics in Russia for 2019 indicate an increase in the number of road accidents with victims. Thus, most incidents do not happen without calling the traffic police.

By car VIN code on third-party sites

Information about an accident by VIN code can be obtained not only through the traffic police website, but also on third-party Internet resources. The services are convenient because the information is available without leaving home and for free. It records not only the number of accidents in which this car was involved, but also information about its theft or search. Let's take a closer look at several servers.

Free legal consultation by phone:

Moscow, Moscow region. +7 (499) 322-27-86

St. Petersburg, Leningrad region. +7 (812) 407-29-43

Calls are free. We work seven days a week!

“Autocode” is the most complete database of road accidents, the information of which is based on information from the traffic police and insurance organizations. The server covers all regions of the country, offering visitors not only to familiarize themselves with information about road accidents, but also to view photo reports of the incidents. The advantages of the server are as follows:

• saving time;
• accuracy of the information provided;
• providing access to information by car number or VIN code;
• providing the most complete information about the car.

In “Autocode” you can “check” a car for an accident using the VIN code for free. If you wish, you can purchase the most complete information at a low price.

Other services

You can also “break” a car into an accident using the following Internet resources.

1. Vincar. Here, information about an accident appears 15 days after it occurred. You can access information about it using the car code. Information is constantly processed by specialists who receive it from insurance companies.
2. Carfax. It is easy to use. All information is processed at high speed, forming a reliable and competent report. If necessary, you can create an electronic copy of it.
3. Vinonline. Here you can check your car for an accident using the body number or car code. This server records not only the fact of damage received as a result of the accident, but also the degree of its severity.

The most necessary data can be obtained for free. If you need access to extended information, you will have to register on the server and top up your balance in your personal account. You can give preference to online resources where registration is not required. There, information is sent via SMS, and payment is made mainly using a bank card. The cost of access to extended information does not exceed 500 rubles.

Through the Gosuslugi website

The easiest way to check a car for involvement in an accident is through the government services server. It has already become part of everyday use and no additional registration is required to receive information. You just need to go to the “Transport and Driving” section and enter the vehicle’s VIN code.

Checking for an accident through the State Services website will not take much time. It takes no more than 2 minutes to complete one operation. The car accident database here is compiled based on information received from all government departments of the Russian Federation.

Is it possible to contact the insurance company?

You can check your car for accidents by contacting insurance companies. They created their own database (RSA OSAGO), which contains all information about road accidents. However, only insurers have access to it.

Checking an accident under the MTPL policy is carried out if the client has a copy of the insurance policy of the car for which information is requested. If it is not there, then the information about the insurance policy is found out through the Russian Union of Auto Insurers. In this case, you need to know the car’s VIN code, its registration plate, body and chassis numbers.

Is it possible to check by license plate number?

It is impossible to check a car for an accident using its license plate number for free. The official website of the traffic police, which provides free information, suggests entering not only the state number of the vehicle, but also its code. Other online resources can provide the necessary information, but you will have to pay for it. However, the cost of such a service, as mentioned above, does not exceed 500 rubles.

One of the servers where you can check a car for involvement in an accident using its license plate number is Avtobot. He provides a full report, sending it via SMS or email after payment using a Yandex wallet or bank card.

The server is very convenient and fast. However, the information obtained with its help is relevant until the car is serviced at the dealership.

Another way: checking the driver

Checking the driver for an accident on the driver's license is another way to prevent the purchase of a damaged vehicle. The best place for this is the official website of the traffic police, where all the information about fines and deprivations is collected. Once on the server, you need to do the following:

1. Select the “Services” section.
   
2. Study the list that appears on the screen.
3. Click on “Driver Check”.
   
4. Enter your driver's license information in the window that appears.
   
5. Check that the information entered is correct.
6. Send a request.

After some time, data on fines and deprivations will appear on the screen. The fine for an accident confirms the participation of the car in the accident.

You can find fines for road accidents by car number through other servers. This is a government services website, Yandex browser and mobile applications. However, in addition to the state number, they ask for the series and number of the vehicle registration certificate.

Advice for future car owners

It is better to entrust a visual inspection of the car to a professional mechanic. If it is not possible to contact him, then you can organize this procedure yourself. A thickness gauge will help in identifying defects. It shows the thickness of the paint applied to the car, which allows us to draw conclusions about the car's involvement in the accident.

If you use a program to check a car for an accident, then you need to pay attention to the reliability of the source. Searching for facts about an accident involving a car on the Internet or through a personal visit to the traffic police is equally reliable. Only the Internet allows you to save time and does not require the provision of piles of documents.

When buying a car, you should pay attention to the clarity of the VIN code. If its contours are poorly visible, it is possible that it is fake. It is better to check a car with such an identification number especially carefully.

Free legal consultation by phone:

Checking accidents by VIN code (free)

How to find out if a car has been in an accident

There are three ways to check a used car for involvement in an accident, and we recommend using each of them:

· Check by date of sale announcement. When choosing a suitable make and model through an online resource, pay attention to the date the advertisement for sale was posted on this site. If the ad is more than two or three months old, then there are probably some pitfalls. Perhaps the owner set a price that clearly does not correspond to the condition of the vehicle. Or maybe the previous buyer, while inspecting the car, discovered serious defects that were not indicated in the ad. Ask the car owner to write down the VIN code of his car for you - a preliminary check of the car for an accident using the VIN number will help save time. If he refuses, forget it and look for another car, even if you are absolutely delighted with this one.

· Personal inspection of the vehicle. Inspecting a used car in person will give you a clearer picture. And without any accidents, in a year or two, even a new car can turn into rubbish for a sloppy owner or an owner who drove his “iron horse” to its tail and mane. Of course, checking the car for an accident using VIN and state license. numbers will help you decide on the question “to buy or not to buy,” but personal impression becomes the decisive factor when choosing a vehicle. A visual inspection of a car that has been previously washed and cleaned from the slightest stain must be carried out in sunny weather or in a well-lit room. Dusk and dust on the paintwork hide not only chips, scratches and other minor damage that will come to light after a car wash, but also differences in the painting of body parts. If there are any, you shouldn’t get involved: the car could have been in a serious accident, and its load-bearing elements were damaged.

· Checking a car for an accident using the VIN code. You can check whether a car was involved in an accident on the website of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate or through a specialized Internet service - for example, “Avtoreport”. Such a check will provide you with the most accurate information, because all serious accidents are recorded by the traffic police and insurance companies, and this information ends up in official databases.

Information is provided free of charge on the traffic police website. Unfortunately, the State Traffic Inspectorate has only maintained a database of registered road accidents in Russia since 2015. Also, here you cannot find out whether the car is pledged - for example, with a bank. Agree, such information is no less important for the buyer: the new owner can repair the broken car, but the deposit will only be lost, along with the money paid for it.

You can get comprehensive information about the car in the full report of the Autoreport online service. Having paid a couple of hundred rubles, after the 5 minutes that are required to generate the report, you will not only know the exact number of accidents registered for the vehicle, but also data on repair work, technical inspections, the average market value of the car, its actual mileage, compulsory motor liability insurance data and other facts from the history of the car obtained from official sources. Free “Autoreport” service to check the presence of a car with the specified VIN or state registration in the databases. number will make sure that you are not offered to buy a stolen car with altered numbers.

We recommend that you check the car's VIN code for involvement in accidents before you arrange an inspection with the seller.

What does an accident check provide before inspecting a vehicle?

Having learned about the participation of a car in an accident using the VIN code, the buyer receives an advantage over the previous owner. If the accident was serious, you may want to save time and skip this option outright. In the end, life and health are more valuable.

It’s another matter if the damage is minor - and who doesn’t have them? In addition, minor accidents are often avoided without the participation of the traffic police and insurers. However, checking by VIN code with a full report will tell you not only about all the accidents, but also about how much money was paid for repairs, unless handicraftsmen worked on the car. This means that, looking at a sparkling varnished Mercedes or other premium used car, you will know in which places it was damaged and restored, and you will be able to bargain properly.

And of course, a used car should be checked for possible involvement in an accident before concluding a sales contract and transferring money to the seller. This is an axiom, and changing this rule is not recommended under any circumstances, unless, of course, you want to run into colossal expenses out of the blue. Let us remind you that the question is not only that they can slip you a car that has been wrecked and restored. The history of a used car may contain much more serious problems.

How to find out a car's VIN code

VIN is a unique vehicle number. The code consists of 17 letters and numbers, and each character encrypts certain information about the car (make, model, country of origin, technical characteristics, etc.). Using this code, a car can be recognized from millions of other vehicles. The checksum, which is also present in the code, virtually eliminates the possibility of forging the VIN.

Different manufacturers put the VIN number in different places of the car (all places are indicated in technical documents). As a rule, when inspecting the car, the code can be found:

· on the left on the windshield, right next to the dashboard;

· on the door pillar next to the driver's seat;

· in the engine compartment on a special plate.

Remember that the numbers on the body and in the registration certificate must be absolutely identical. When purchasing, you have every right to ask the owner to provide the number to check the car. A respectable citizen will fulfill your request without unnecessary excuses - an honest person has nothing to hide. If the seller is fussy, refuse the deal; the car probably has a dark past.

Be carefull! Unscrupulous sellers may intentionally give out the VIN number of another vehicle, and checking the car for an accident using the VIN code will show that everything is fine with it. To avoid becoming a victim of fraud, write down the numbers in person when inspecting the car.

At the same time, it will be useful to make sure that all code symbols are clear, neat, the same color and size, and that there are no scratches or dents on the plates, indicating possible falsification. We strongly recommend that you not be lazy and check every VIN code, and not just those that are easily accessible for inspection - this is what criminals are counting on.

Once you are convinced of the authenticity of the VIN code and that there are no serious accidents or other dubious facts in the car’s history, you can confidently make a decision to purchase it.