A Free Service for Checking a Used Car’s History

It's even easier (and free to boot) to learn more about a used car's history - especially if it's been flooded. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) has created a new Web-based service with total-loss data for consumers called VINCheck. (Editor's note - this link has been updated since the original publication.)
NICB's VINCheck is a service provided to the public to assist in determining if a vehicle has been reported as stolen, but not recovered, or has been reported as a previously declared total loss vehicle by cooperating NICB members. To perform a search a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is required. A maximum of 5 VINCheck searches can be conducted within a 24-hour period.
"This is a step in the right direction, but because the information is limited, we still need federal legislation that would expand total-loss disclosure," said Ivette Rivera, National Automobile Dealers Association's executive director of legislative affairs, in a news release promoting the new website. "We would like all insurers and rental car companies to leverage existing technology, such as vehicle history reports, to keep dangerous, rebuilt cars and trucks off the road to truly protect consumers."
It’s free but extremely limited …