Episode Description:

• Flood-damaged cars from Hurricane Ian are already entering the used car market.
• Many vehicles are being sold through brokers from auctions like Copart, especially to civilian buyers who are not licensed dealerships.
• Some buyers don’t realize that having only a bill of sale or lacking a proper title may indicate the car has a Certificate of Destruction.
• A Certificate of Destruction or a non-repairable title means the vehicle can never be legally titled or registered again.
• Insurance companies sometimes issue destruction titles for liability reasons, even if the vehicle is in good condition.
• These vehicles can’t be retitled because insurance companies want to avoid legal responsibility if the car causes injury due to hidden flood damage (like rusted brakes or failed airbags).
• All 50 states, plus Washington D.C., Guam, and Puerto Rico, are notified of VINs marked with Certificate of Destruction — making the designation irreversible.
• "Non-repairable" doesn’t mean the car can't be physically fixed — it means it’s legally banned from ever being titled or put back on the road.
• Many of these vehicles may look perfectly fine and even run, but are now officially parts-only or export-only.
• Even with a salvage title, roughly 50% of salvage vehicles cannot be retitled or legally driven again.
• DMV inspections can be very strict. One small paperwork mistake or unresolved dash light (e.g., check engine) may result in rejection.
• Some states require vehicles to be inspected only in the state where the salvage title was issued.
• Rebuilding a salvage vehicle requires detailed documentation of parts used, proper sourcing, and correct repairs.
• Buyers should be cautious — even if a vehicle looks clean, it could be unsalvageable due to its title history.
• If you’ve already purchased one of these vehicles or want more information, visit JunkTitle.com for resources, including how a new VIN might be possible — though that's a complex topic for another episode.