Car accident and damage check by VIN
Enter the VIN and see for free whether we have data for the car. The full report shows damage recorded in 32 countries, with the damaged area and the estimated cost, when the source has them.
How we know about damage
A damaged car leaves a trail: the insurance claim, the assessment after the accident, the repair cost estimate, the findings at an auction or a sale. All of them are tied to the VIN, not to the number plate, which changes with the country or the owner.
A VIN check looks for these records in 1000+ sources across 32 countries and puts them in the report with the date, the country, the area hit and the estimated cost. For an imported car, that includes accidents from before the import, which the national records of the new country do not have.
What the report shows about damage
List of damage records
Each record with its date, country and type: insurance event, repair estimate, damage noted at a sale.
Damaged areas
A sketch of the car with the approximate areas hit: front, rear, sides, bonnet, roof.
Estimated cost
The repair cost band reported by the source, based on garage rates in that country.
Total loss
A flag for cars whose repair was judged to cost more than the car was worth.
Photos
Pictures from old listings and, sometimes, from the damage assessment.
Bodywork repairs
Jobs in the service history that point to an accident, even without a damage claim.
Total loss: what it means for you
A car is declared a total loss when the insurer decides the repair would cost more than the car was worth at the time. The car does not disappear: it is often sold at auction, repaired cheaply and put back on sale, sometimes in another country.
Such a car can look spotless while the structure, airbags or safety systems were fixed on a budget. In the report, a total loss is flagged on its own and lowers the car's score to “High risk”.
Guide to cars declared a total loss
What no online check can see
An accident repaired for cash, with no insurance claim and no assessment, may not appear in any record. That is why a report with no damage is not a guarantee that the car was never hit. Use it to know what to look for, then have the car checked at a garage: paint thickness, panel gaps, welds and the airbag warning light.
Check for damage in 3 steps
- 1Find the VIN on the registration document or at the bottom of the windscreen, on the driver's side.
- 2Enter the 17 characters. For free you see the make and whether we have data for it.
- 3Open the full report: damage, mileage, theft and finance, ready in about 60 seconds.
Frequently asked questions
Can I find out for free whether a car was damaged?
For free you see the make and whether we have data for that VIN. The damage records, with date, area and estimated cost, are in the full report, from 14.30 €.
Are accidents from abroad included?
Yes. The report searches sources in 32 countries, so it also finds damage from before an import, when it was recorded. That is the part national records usually miss.
Can I see what the repair cost?
When the source reports it, you see the repair cost band, based on garage rates in that country. It is not the actual invoice, but it tells a scratch from a serious hit.
If the report shows no damage, was the car never hit?
Not necessarily. A repair paid directly, without insurance, may never reach any record. The report tells you what was recorded; an inspection at a garage tells you what state the car is in now.
What should I do if the car shows up as a total loss?
Ask the seller for the repair documents and take the car to a garage that checks the structure and the airbags. If the seller did not mention the total loss in the listing, you already have a good reason to walk away or negotiate hard.
Check for damage before you pay
For free you see the make and whether we have data for your VIN.