Can I Get Information On My Car’s Previous Owner from Their Washington Car insurance Provider?

If you’re looking for a way to save money when you’re buying a car the best way to go is to pick one up used from a certified Washington dealer. Getting a car that’s already put in some miles on the highway comes with its own hazards, however. You never really know what accidents the car has been in, how many repairs have been made or what exactly is only seconds away from breaking next! If you’re looking for information on your car’s history it makes sense that the best place to go would be straight to the source.

The previous owner’s Washington car insurance provider.

Brilliant plan, right? There’s just one catch. The minute you pick up the phone and call their insurance company to ask for a little info on your car’s history you’re going to slam right into a solid brick wall of confidentiality clauses and agents telling you (quite politely, of course) that their history of car insurance claims is absolutely none of your business. And they’d be right.

Just because the other drivers’ car insurance history is none of your business doesn’t mean your car’s history is, however. As a matter of fact, as the new resident driver, owner of the vehicle and the hand that holds the pen that’s going to pay for those repairs, you have a need to know exactly what’s going on under the hood. You may not be able to find out what’s been going on with the driver’s past history of car insurance claims, but there are plenty of places you can go to learn about your car’s shady past.

The first thing you should do is ask your dealer for a CARFAX report. CARFAX is

It’s up to you to do the sleuthing around to make sure you’re getting a good deal on your used car.

THE place to go to learn about your car’s history, since they have access to most accident databases. If your car has been in an accident and it was reported, CARFAX should know about it. You can access their database online directly from the dealer as long as you have a VIN number to work with, and it doesn’t cost you a dime.

They have absolutely no reason to tell you no.

The other thing you’re going to want to do is take a good, hard look at the car. Does anything seem newer than usual? Is there anything that’s not manufacturer produced that could have been replaced somewhere down the road? Those are the red flags that say, “I’ve been fixed” and would indicate the need to start asking some questions.

You’re not going to get very far harassing their Washington auto insurance provider, but if you know the right questions to ask you can slide behind the wheel of your new used car with absolute confidence that you’re not setting yourself up to take a fall.

Happy cruising!

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