Should You Buy a Car With an Accident History? Pros, Cons, and What to Check

Buying a car with an accident history comes with its risks. Past accidents can hide structural damage, affect safety, raise insurance costs, and reduce resale value. Still, there’s no denying that it can also save you money if you choose carefully.

Which is why in this guide, we’ve detailed everything about accident history, what matters, what doesn’t, and how accident history impacts price and ownership.

Pros and Cons of Buying a Cars With an Accident History

If the damage was small and the repairs passed the inspection, then it’s perfectly fine to buy a car with an accident history. Especially if you’re looking to save as much as you can on your purchase.

You also have to keep in mind that it’s reported that around 40% of vehicles circulating in the US have been in some kind of accident. So, the odds of you stumbling into a car with an accident history are quite high.

What Counts as Accident History?

Accident history includes any type of collision, ranging from minor fender benders to major impacts that result in airbag deployment.

According to a crash history report, 70–75% of accidents or collision claims are classified as cosmetic or minor damages, which include bumpers, headlights, outer body panels, and plastic components.

In most cases, these incidents simply show up as entries on a vehicle history report, but in severe cases, they can lead to a branded title; a legal designation applied by insurers or the state’s DMV.

Common Branded Titles

• Salvage title. A car with a salvage title means that the insurance company has declared the car a total loss. This typically occurs because the cost of repairing the car after the accident exceeds the vehicle’s market value at the time of the incident.
• Rebuilt title. A rebuilt title means the car was previously salvaged but has since been repaired and inspected to be roadworthy. Once it passes inspection, the car is allowed back on the road, though it may have a history of significant damage.
• Lemon/buy back title. If a car has recurring issues that are difficult to resolve, then the vehicle in question is bought back by the manufacturer from the owner, which means it will obtain a ‘Lemon’ branded title.
• Other branded titles. Cover damages not from collisions, including fires, floods, natural disasters, theft, or odometer tampering.

When Is Accident History a Red Flag?

Accident history becomes a red flag in the following cases:

• The car has had severe structural damage. When we say structural damage, we’re talking about frame rails, strut towers, rocker panels, or any part supporting suspension, steering, or shock absorption. Once crushed or misaligned, these areas rarely return to factory specs.
• The car has had a salvage/rebuilt title. A salvage title tells you something important: at one point, the car was damaged badly enough that the insurance company deemed it not worth repairing. To convert that salvage title into a rebuilt title, the vehicle must undergo extensive repairs, pass state inspections, and be declared safe by the DMV before it can legally return to the road.
• The car has had safety systems damage. Advanced systems like sensors, radars, airbags, and cameras are tough to repair. While airbags themselves are straightforward, the sensors, wiring, and control modules need precise calibration. Radar units, for example, must be calibrated to an exact angle—being off by even a single degree can disable systems like adaptive cruise control or lane-keep assist.

How Do I Know Whether a Car Has Been in an Accident?

To know whether a car you’re interested in has an accident history then you must obtain the vehicle’s history report before you buy it. The history report will have detailed ownership information, whether the car was in an accident, the repairs it had, and even if it was once declared as salvage.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends you visit the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) website to obtain a vehicle report history. The NMVTIS also supports several platforms that allow you to check the history report online, which you can find listed here. You can usually check out the history report by providing the VIN of the car you’re interested in.

Note: We recommend that you also have the car thoroughly inspected and checked out by a professional mechanic before buying it, and not go just by what the history report says.

How to Inspect a Car With an Accident History?

Here’s what you can focus on when trying to inspect a car with an accident history:

1. Pre-repair photos. Ask for before and after pictures from the seller; you will be able to tell much better about the extent of the damage. Plus, if they refuse, take it as a red flag and walk away.
2. Frame & alignment. Look for uneven panel gaps, pulling to one side, or steering vibration, all signs of structural misalignment.
3. Paint thickness consistency. A shop can measure this to detect hidden repairs.
4. Airbag system check. Confirm that airbags, sensors, and modules were replaced and calibrated properly
5. Computer diagnostics. Run a full scan for crash codes, uncalibrated sensors, or replaced components that might still be malfunctioning.
6. Repair invoices. Ask for invoices and repair records; a properly repaired accident vehicle always has a paper trail.

How Much Money Can I Save When Buying a Car With an Accident History?

When you buy a car with an accident history, you can typically save 15% to 30% (minimum) off the price compared to a similar used car with a clean history.

For example, a 2019 Honda Civic LX in good condition might sell for around $20,000, but with a minor accident history, the price could drop to $18,500–$19,000.

Of course, if the damage is significant, the value of the car is reduced even more, up to 50%, although in this case, you must make sure the car is in perfect condition and none of its safety features have been compromised.