A vehicle that has been written off and repaired carries a branded title for the rest of its life. That brand affects what it is worth, what it can be insured for, and whether anyone will write full cover on it.
A salvage or rebuilt title is permanent. It changes both the value and the available cover.
Three things about a car with history on its paperwork.
When an insurer totals a car, the title is branded salvage. Repaired and re-inspected it becomes a rebuilt title, and that stays with the vehicle through every future sale. It is public information and it is the first thing a carrier sees.
Most carriers will write liability on a rebuilt-title vehicle. Comprehensive and collision are a different matter: some decline outright, some write it at a reduced value, and the valuation after a future loss reflects the brand. That is worth knowing before buying rather than after.
A rebuilt-title car is cheaper for reasons that persist: harder to insure fully, harder to sell, and uncertain repair quality depending on who did the work. It can still be a sensible purchase with open eyes, which is a different thing from a bargain.
Before you buy, ideally.
It changes which carriers will quote and on what terms.
Liability usually yes, physical damage frequently not.
Financing a branded-title vehicle has its own obstacles.
Tell us whether any vehicle has a salvage or rebuilt title before you buy it.
We tell you what cover is available before you hand over money.
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