How to Check if a Car Has Been in an Accident

Over half of used cars (52%) checked by RAC had some hidden history, which includes 14.2% that were previously written off in accidents. So, statistically, you’re more likely to encounter a used car with hidden damage than a perfect condition one.

Why’s this so important? A car that’s been in a serious collision can have a range of issues that pose safety risks, such as:

• Weakened crumple zones
• Misaligned frames
• Missing airbags

These kinds of vehicles also depreciate faster, since accident history can significantly slash a car’s value. This is why knowing a car’s accident history is so crucial, since you’re now in control when you’re negotiating - if a history check or inspection reveals past damage, you can either walk away or demand a lower price.

So, make thorough accident history checks a non-negotiable step before you finalise any deal.

Let’s dive into how I can check if a car has been in an accident step by step, from spotting physical signs of past crashes to checking official records.

What Are the Common Signs That a Car Has Been in an Accident?

Many sellers won’t volunteer information about a previous crash, especially if repairs were done off the books. So, you need to know what you’re looking for when you’re trying to spot physical signs of past damage.

In fact, about 27% of used car buyers later discover damage that wasn’t disclosed by the seller, which means the only way to catch it is through a careful inspection.

So, take your time to look at it in good light - walk around the vehicle and note any inconsistencies. Does anything look “off” compared to the rest of the car? Take a look below and see some of the tell-tale signs and red flags - from signs of structural repairs to welding marks - that the car you’re thinking about buying may have been in a collision.

Not every sign here proves a car on its own, but there’s a good chance the vehicle has seen body shop work if you spot several of them - keep an eye out for these so that you don’t waste money and have the upper hand in negotiations:

Mismatched Paint and Uneven Panel Gaps

One of the easiest giveaways of past body repairs is mismatched paint or panels that don’t line up perfectly - it’s rare that a door or bumper, for instance, stays the same colour after it’s been repaired.

These happen when parts are replaced or reattached after a collision. In fact, the RAC found that about 1.4% of used cars had a recorded colour change (re-spray) in their history, which can easily indicate an accident repair.

So, make sure you inspect the car from multiple angles in good light - things like inconsistent paint finish or wonky panel gaps are classic signs of crash damage repair.

In fairness, this could be harmless cosmetic work, but it could also signal a past crash that was patched up, which is why you need to ask the buyer. Then, use these clues to negotiate the price down or decide if the car is worth the risk.

Welding Marks

Unnatural welding marks or non-factory welds on a car’s frame or body are strong indicators of accident repairs. Modern cars are built with precise, clean welds from the factory, so any sloppy, visible welds usually come from later fixes.

Look under the bonnet and in the boot for signs of cutting and rejoining. Welding, in particular, is something you’ve really got to look out for as it indicates structural damage - not just a respray. Your common spots include everywhere from the inner wings to the door frames.

Also watch for new bolts or screws in these areas that don’t match the rest (shows that parts were removed or swapped). Again, these kinds of non-factory welds tell us the car might’ve sustained significant damage that needed structural fixing, so it’s worth having a professional assess the repairs if you see them.

Airbag Deployment Indicators

Deployed airbags are a clear sign the car was in a significant accident - airbags usually only fire in moderate to severe collisions.

First, when you turn the ignition, does the airbag warning light illuminate briefly and then turn off? It should. If the light stays on or never comes on at all, it could mean an airbag has deployed in the past and wasn’t properly replaced (or, worse, someone removed the bulb to hide a fault).

Physically, you’ll need to inspect the steering wheel centre pad and passenger dash for signs of tampering - for example, a seam that isn’t perfectly flush could indicate the airbag cover was replaced. And keep in mind that airbags are expensive to replace, so some dodgy sellers might simply not replace a deployed airbag.

It’s hard to put a precise figure on how often airbags deploy, but they generally only fire in fairly hard impacts (above ~10-15 mph). So if an airbag in this car has been triggered, it’s likely the vehicle had a major collision, rather than just a broken headlight - have a mechanic scan the airbag control module for crash data and ensure all airbags are still there and working.

Frame Damage or Misalignment

Frame or structural damage is one of the most serious red flags when checking a used car. The car’s frame (or chassis) is its skeleton - if it’s bent or out of alignment from an accident, the car will never be quite right.

Signs of possible frame damage include:

• Doors that don’t close smoothly
• A boot or bonnet that’s slightly ajar or won’t latch properly
• Uneven panel gaps (as mentioned earlier)

Most high-impact crashes result in some level of frame damage - for example, any car classified as a Category S write-off (structural damage) has had its frame bent and repaired. These make up a significant part of insurance total-loss vehicles in the UK.

That’s why you need a professional inspection, since mechanics can measure the chassis to factory specs. Buying a car with a bent frame is usually not worth it (even at a huge bargain), as it's usually unsafe and will wear through tyres and parts quickly.

Scratches, Dents, and Bumper Damage

Every used car has the odd scratch or dent, but pay special attention to signs of impact around the front and rear bumpers or corners of the vehicle. Bumpers, for example, are the first part of the car to get impacted in collisions - so everything from scuffed or cracked bumpers to dents in the wing panels tell us that the car was in (at least) a minor accident.

Now, not all these issues are significant - you buy a used car knowing it’s going to have a few parking dings and scuffs compared to a new one - but an accumulation of these or signs of repair (like a newly painted bumper) are definitely worth noting.

Always ask the seller about any dents or replaced bumper parts - at the very least, visible exterior damage gives you the opportunity to negotiate the price down. And consider whether the car might’ve been more heavily damaged than the seller is letting on if there are loads of repairs visible.

Tyre Wear and Suspension Issues

Weird tyre wear patterns or a clunky suspension feel are usually down to a past accident that’s affected the car’s underpinnings. You can normally tell from the tyres when a car’s alignment or suspension is impacted by a crash (such as hitting a kerb hard).

Is one edge dramatically more worn than the other when you inspect the tyres? Do they look newer than the other side? Uneven tyre wear - for instance, excessive wear on the inner shoulder of a tyre - might mean the suspension arm or strut on that corner was bent and never perfectly straightened.

And listen/feel for suspension issues during your test drive: does the car clunk over bumps, or sit lopsided? It could be due to accidental damage to the struts or the subframe.

As an example, if a car had a front-end knock and the wheel was pushed back, the suspension mounting points are probably going to be distorted - the car might then drift on the road and chew through tyres on that side.

Always check the tread depth across each tyre’s width - uneven depths indicate something’s off. You need to know before you buy, because suspension repairs can run into thousands of pounds if there’s accident damage. If you spot any of these signs, have a mechanic inspect the suspension and alignment.

What Should I Check if a Car Has Been in an Accident Before Buying?

You need to perform a meticulous check before buying - especially if you suspect there’s been some sort of undisclosed accident (remember, 27% of used car buyers find damage later on) or if the seller outright discloses it.

The peace of mind you’ll have is one thing, but your main takeaway should be the fortune in future repairs you’ll save. So, what should you be examining?

• Vehicle History Reports and Accident Records: You can get a vehicle history report just by putting in the car’s registration or VIN number. This will show you any recorded accidents or insurance write-offs.

  Look specifically for markers like “insurance total loss” or accident dates. In the UK, cars that have been written off by insurers (categories A, B, S, N) will appear on these checks.

• MOT Records and Past Failures: Similarly, check the MOT history online by entering the vehicle’s reg. Look for past MOT test failures or advisory notes that might hint at accident damage. For example, look for a past MOT noted “excessive corrosion to chassis” or “suspension mounting bent”, to check if a car has been in a crash

  Also, a gap in MOT or a period of the vehicle being SORN (off-road) could mean it was laid up for repairs after an accident. Consistent MOT mileages with no big unexplained jumps are a good sign, since it’s less likely to have lingering accident issues.

• Airbag Deployment and Missing Parts: As mentioned earlier, you’ll want to verify that those airbags were replaced and the system is functioning if the car has been in a serious enough accident to deploy airbags.

  Make sure the dash airbag light behaves normally at startup. And physically, check that all airbag covers (steering wheel, dashboard, side pillars, seats) look original and properly fitted.

• Also check seatbelts: post-accident, seatbelt pretensioners may fire and lock up the belts. If you find seat belts that are frayed or just don’t retract well, or if the webbing has obvious stretch marks, the car may have experienced a crash that affected the belts.

  You’d either want a hefty discount and evidence of proper repairs or simply not proceed with the purchase.

• Service and Repair Documentation: Ask the seller for any service history and repair invoices. A well-documented car is always preferable, but you’re specifically looking for hints of accident repair work. Keywords like “panel beaten”, “respray”, “alignment check”, “suspension arm replaced”, or even an entry for a new radiator or airbags tell us that there’s been past collision repair.

  Remember, an honest private seller or dealer shouldn’t have any problem with you seeing maintenance records.

• Previous Ownership and Car Auction History: How many owners has the car had, and who were they? A car that’s changed hands very frequently in a short period might be one that gave each new owner a nasty surprise (like ongoing problems from a crash), which was why they sold it on quickly.

  Additionally, find out if the car was ever sold via a salvage car auction or trade auction, where they’re sold to dealers and then repaired. If the advert or HPI check shows “previously Cat N (non-structural) - repaired”, then you know it was an insurance loss vehicle.

These kinds of checks will drastically reduce the chance of nasty surprises. There are plenty of cars out there, so just walk away if anything doesn’t add up.

And never rely solely on the seller’s word. Get the car checked by a professional mechanic so you know you’re not buying a ticking time bomb and are in a stronger position to negotiate a fair price.

How Can I Ensure My Car is Accident-Free?

The only way to actually know if a used car is accident-free is to combine multiple verification steps. Again, remember that 27% figure of people who found hidden damage after they bought the car. What can you do to stay ahead?

• Use the VIN to Track Accident History: Every car has a unique Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which you can use to see its accident history. Stick it into reputable databases and services - for example, run an HPI check or use the DVLA’s resources - to see if the car was ever written off or had insurance claims.

  As an extra step, you can even contact a franchised dealer for that car’s make and ask if they have any accident repairs on record by VIN (sometimes, if the car was repaired at an official dealership, they’ll have notes). Just remember that minor unreported accidents won’t show up.

• Use Accident-Free Check Services: There are dedicated accident history check services (like the RAC Vehicle History Check) that aggregate data from insurance, police, and repair shops. It’s a smart move to pay for one of these reports so you know what you’re getting.

  You can be reasonably confident if the service gives you the “all clear” (accident-free), or, worst-case scenario, you’ve saved yourself from a potentially bad purchase if it shows something.

• Cross-Referencing MOT and Service Records: You’re not going to find any mysterious gaps or notes about body damage if the car is actually accident-free. If you have access to the vehicle’s service history, check if it was maintained at consistent intervals and if any entries correspond to accident repairs.

  You’ll know if something was amiss once you cross-reference these documents. For example, if an MOT two years ago had an advisory “damage to underside” and the service record shows “body repair carried out” around the same time, that tells us that there's been an incident. But a spotless record across the board is reassuring.

• Getting the Car Checked by a Professional Mechanic: Last but certainly not least, get a pre-purchase inspection by a qualified mechanic or vehicle inspector. This is arguably the best insurance against unknowingly buying an accident-damaged car.

  Quality mechanics spot things most of us won’t - maybe subtle welding marks or slight chassis misalignment. They often use tools like paint depth gauges to detect repainted panels and will put the car on a lift to examine the underbody for repair work or bends. An inspector can also scan the car’s onboard computers - sometimes crash events are stored in the airbag module or ECU.

Spending a couple of hundred pounds on an inspection can save you from buying a car with thousands of pounds of hidden damage. If the mechanic gives the thumbs up, you can proceed with confidence. If they find an issue, you either negotiate with the seller to fix it or back out.

Your chances of buying a car with hidden accident damage are significantly lower if you follow all these steps - any single check might miss something, but together they give you a much more reliable picture.

What Are My Legal Rights if I Buy a Car with Hidden Accident Damage?

Discovering that your newly purchased car has hidden accident damage can be infuriating, but it’s a situation many buyers have faced - as shown earlier regarding the percentage of buyers who’ve bought cars with hidden damage.

It’s undoubtedly a massive safety issue, but you’re also going to have issues when you try to sell that car later down the line.

But fortunately, in the UK, consumer protection laws do offer you some rights and recourse, especially if you bought the car from a dealer. So, what are your legal protections?

If You Bought From a Licensed Dealer

You’ll be covered by the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. These are laws that require any given vehicle being sold to be “as described” and of “satisfactory quality” considering its age and price.

The important part here is that it’s actually illegal for a dealer to actively mislead you or to hide important information (such as significant accident repairs). So, if the dealer knew (or should have known) about the prior damage and didn’t disclose it, that’s likely a breach of the law.

So, what are the implications of this? Within the first 30 days of purchase, the Consumer Rights Act gives you the right to reject the car and get a full refund if it’s not as described or has a fault (hidden structural damage would definitely qualify as a significant fault/misrepresentation).

Now, after 30 days (but within 6 months), the dealer usually gets one chance to repair the issue, but you can still reject and request a refund or partial refund if they fail or if the issue is serious.

Additionally, under the unfair trading regulations, if a dealer omitted telling you something that would have affected your decision to buy (like “this car was an insurance write-off last year”), that’s considered an unfair commercial practice. Trading Standards could even get involved if it’s egregious.

So, your takeaway here is to document everything (get a mechanic’s report confirming the damage) and communicate in writing with the dealer - cite your rights!

If You Bought From a Private Seller

Unfortunately, your legal rights are a bit more limited. Private sales are generally “buyer beware” - the onus is on you to check the car. That said, a private seller cannot actively lie to you. If you asked, “Has this car been in an accident?” and they said “No” when in fact it had been, that is misrepresentation.

You could potentially pursue a civil case for misrepresentation, but it can be tricky - you’d have to prove the seller knew of the damage and intentionally deceived you. Unlike dealers, private individuals don’t have to volunteer information, but they must answer truthfully if they do answer.

If the advert explicitly states “no accidents” or “HPI clear” and that turns out false, you have grounds to seek a remedy (often through small claims court). Also, if the car was an insurance write-off and the private seller failed to declare the category, that’s problematic.

Note, though, that if the private seller claims ignorance (“I had no idea either”), it becomes hard to hold them liable unless you have evidence they knew (like an old repair invoice in the glovebox with their name on it).

Misrepresentation and “Not as Described”

Regardless of whether you bought private or from a dealer, if the car was described in an ad or invoice as having no previous damage or being in “excellent condition”, and you later find it had serious accident repairs, you can argue it was not as described.

For a dealer, this falls under the Consumer Rights Act as mentioned. For a private sale, it’s under contract law misrepresentation.

Either way, you’ve now got to gather your evidence: get a written assessment from a mechanic or an independent vehicle inspector stating the nature and likely age of the accident damage. This can support your claim that the damage predates your purchase and thus was “hidden” from you when you bought it.

Trade to trade car marketplace

• Trade-only marketplace
• Flexible selling options
• Maximise your profits

Sign up now

4.9 out of 5 Stars

Insurance Write-Off Disclosure

By law, traders need to tell you if a car is an insurance write-off (Category S or N) before they sell it to you. So, if a dealer sold you a car that had been written off without telling you, you have strong grounds for returning it.

Private sellers are also expected to be honest about write-off status if asked. And if you discover via an HPI check post-purchase that the car is a previous write-off that wasn’t disclosed, act immediately and approach the seller for a remedy.

Recourse and Next Steps

If you still find yourself with a crash-damaged car that was not as advertised, your first step is to contact the seller and explain the situation regarding your evidence and rights. More often than not, a dealer will want to resolve it ASAP to avoid legal trouble or bad press.

But if they refuse, you can escalate:

• Contact your local Trading Standards office
• Use an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme if the dealer is part of one (many dealers are members of the Motor Ombudsman or similar)
• Take legal action (ideally as a last resort)

Whichever route you choose, just don’t delay - the sooner you raise the issue, the better your chances of a satisfactory resolution.

And as a preventive measure, doing those thorough checks before buying (as we’ve outlined) is your best defence here - it’s far less of a headache to catch a bad car in time than to fight for a refund later. But if you do get caught out, stand up for yourself and use those legal tools we mentioned.

What Final Considerations Should I Keep in Mind Before Purchasing a Used Car?

Take a moment to run through a final mental (and physical) checklist before you finally commit and buy this thing. You should’ve assessed the car’s accident history by this point, as well as performed a thorough inspection and just broadly ensured everything looks in order.

That said, there are still a few considerations to keep in mind that can influence whether the car is truly a smart buy for you:

Negotiate the Price Based on the Car’s Accident History

If the car has been in an accident, factor that into the price, because accident history can massively lower a car’s market value - especially if it was an insurance write-off or if it had major repairs.

Don’t be shy about using your findings as bargaining chips - for example, “I see the front wing was repainted, which suggests there was a minor collision. Given that, would you accept £X?”

Even if the seller insists everything was fixed perfectly, the stigma of an accident (which is a real thing) will affect resale value down the line, and you deserve a discount for that.

But it still doesn’t hurt to negotiate even if the car is accident-free with proof - you’ll just have less leverage. Remember that many buyers overlook this step and end up paying full whack even for cars with damage history, so use every bit of info to get the best deal.

Understand the Impact on Insurance and Resale Value

A car that’s been in an accident is usually far more expensive to insure and will generally fetch less when you try to sell it in the future. And insurance-wise, if the car was an insurance write-off (Categories S or N that were repaired), some insurers might either refuse coverage or charge higher premiums.

So, it’s worth getting an insurance quote for the specific car (you can do this online with the reg number) before buying. As for resale, just keep in mind that future buyers will probably do the same checks you did.

When you go to sell, you might have to disclose the past accident, or it will come up in history reports. That doesn’t mean “don’t buy a car that has ever had an accident” - but it means if you do, go in with realistic expectations.

Check for Any Outstanding Finance or Legal Issues

One often overlooked area is the financial and legal baggage a used car can come with. Always ensure the car isn’t carrying outstanding finance (HP or PCP) - this would show on an HPI check.

A car still under finance isn’t legally the seller’s to sell, and you could have it repossessed from you. Also, check if it’s ever been reported stolen (history checks cover this too). Another thing to verify: confirm the identity and history are consistent if the car has a personalised number plate or has had multiple plate changes (to ensure it’s not hiding something).

And importantly, make sure the V5C logbook is present and the seller’s name matches (for dealers, they might not be the registered keeper, but ask whose name it’s in and why). If you’re buying privately, never purchase without the logbook and proper seller ID - aside from legal ownership issues, a missing logbook could easily hint at undisclosed history (like the car was an insurance total-loss and the logbook was surrendered, etc.).

Consider Buying from a Trusted Trade Auction

Buying from a trade car auction is a decent option - but only if you’re confident in spotting issues and you want to save some money. Auctions sometimes offer accident-damaged or repaired cars at lower prices, and reputable auction houses will grade the cars and announce known faults.

If you go this route, just stick to trusted auction channels and ideally choose ones that give you some time to inspect it. These sorts of auction cars are typically sold “as seen”, so you need to be extra sure of what you’re bidding on.

The advantage here is that you might get a bargain, especially if the car has a minor cosmetic accident history that doesn’t bother you. But if you’re not experienced, it’s easy to get burned at auctions - there’s little comeback if you later find undeclared issues.

The main takeaway here is: however you buy, do your due diligence. All the same rules we’ve mentioned of checking history and its condition apply, regardless of whether it’s from an auction or a forecourt.