Question 1

Can I look up an IAAI lot by VIN?

Accepted Answer

You can check a VIN for previous salvage auction records. Where the vehicle was sold at IAA, the report shows the sale date, damage recorded, price and any lot photos captured at the time.

Question 2

What is the difference between IAAI and IAA?

Accepted Answer

None. Insurance Auto Auctions trades as IAA; "IAAI" is the older name and the one most buyers still search for.

Question 3

Is Vektracer affiliated with IAA?

Accepted Answer

No. Vektracer is an independent vehicle history service. IAA is named here only to describe the kind of salvage auction records a report can contain.

Question 4

Does the report also show Copart sales?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Auction records are held by VIN regardless of the auction house, so a car that went through both IAA and Copart shows both sales.

Question 5

Can I find the IAAI photos after the listing is gone?

Accepted Answer

Where the photographs were recorded against the VIN, yes. That is the main reason to look the car up by VIN rather than by lot number, which stops working once the listing closes.

Question 6

I am buying from Europe. Does this work for me?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The record is American wherever the car is now. The import hub explains what a European buyer should read in it.

Question 7

What if the car was auctioned but has a clean title now?

Accepted Answer

That is exactly what an auction record exposes. Check the title history alongside it — a vehicle sold at IAA as salvage that now shows a clean title deserves close inspection.