Written-off and salvage cars from Australia
Our quote form asks one awkward question about Australian cars you are buying. Here is what it means, and why we ask it so early.
If you tell our quote form you are buying a car in Australia, it asks whether the car is recorded as salvage or written off. If the answer is yes, the form stops there. That can feel abrupt, so this is the explanation.
Our position, plainly
We are not able to help register salvage or written-off cars from Australia. We would much rather say so on the first screen than after you have paid for a car, a truck and a container.
It applies to cars bought for import. If you are moving here with your own car, the question does not come up.
Can we take this car on?
What “written off” means in Australia
When an insurer decides a damaged car is not worth repairing, the state records it on a Written-Off Vehicle Register. Broadly, there are two kinds:
- Statutory write-offs, which are so badly damaged they can never be registered again in Australia.
- Repairable write-offs, which in some states can be repaired, inspected and put back on the road.
The details vary from state to state. Either way, the record stays with the car.
How to check before you buy
Search the car’s VIN on the Personal Property Securities Register. The certificate shows whether there is finance owing on it and whether it has been recorded as written off or stolen. It costs a few dollars and is worth doing on any car you are thinking of buying, whether you import it or not.
Be particularly careful with cars from salvage auctions and with prices that look too good for the model. There is usually a reason.
What we can help with
Almost everything else. A clean car you are buying, a car you already own and are moving with, a classic, a ute with every accessory known to man. If the car is not on a written-off register, send us the details.
Quick answers
Will you import a written-off car from Australia?
No. We are not able to help register salvage or written-off cars from Australia, so our quote form asks the question up front rather than after you have paid for anything.
How do I check whether a car has been written off?
Run a search on the Personal Property Securities Register using the VIN. As well as showing any finance owed, it shows whether the car has been recorded as written off. It costs a few dollars and takes minutes.