The National Insurance Crime Bureau recently launched a free service that allows people to search for cars and boats damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Consumers can search by vehicle identification numbers and hull identification numbers at the Bureau's website, www.nicb.org. According to NICB, the database is available to the public "to provide potential buyers of these vehicles one more self-defense tool against fraud."
Insurance companies, salvage yards and law enforcement personnel are supplying the NICB with VINs and HINs for the database, says Frank Scafidi, NICB director of public affairs. Scafidi says more than 150,000 vehicles and watercraft are currently listed, up from 60,000 on Oct. 14. The database is updated every few days.
The NICB database comes none too soon, as hurricane-damaged cars are already beginning to appear at auto auctions. Manheim's Greater New Orleans Auto Auction has approximately 400 damaged cars on hand, says Renee Torina, the auction's fleet marketing manager. Torina says these cars will receive salvage titles, meaning the cost to repair a car exceeds its worth.
The NICB warns it has not verified much of the information supplied to it, and that the database may not be comprehensive — if a car isn't listed, that doesn't mean it's not flood-damaged. Additionally, the amount of damage to a vehicle or boat, if any, is not included. |
