What Happens at an Insurance Auto Auction?
If you are interested in buying a used car, an insurance auto auction is a great place to start your search. While most cars sold at an IAA are total losses, you can still find repairable ones with salvage titles. In addition to being a great way to save money, buying a used car at an IAA can be a great form of retail therapy. Read on to learn more about what happens at an IAA.
Cars sold at IAA are total losses
When a total loss vehicle has been damaged beyond repair, insurers will often turn to salvage auto auctions to sell it. Total losses are vehicles that are far more expensive to repair than their market value. IAA works with insurers to help them get the most money for their total loss vehicles. These auctions are also a great way for insurers to get rid of vehicles they no longer need or want.
In the early 1990s, LA Auto Salvage was one of the first salvage yards to go public. In 1991, it raised $11 per share in its initial public offering. Two years later, it raised $23 million through an initial public offering. The proceeds from the initial stock offering financed a major acquisition spree. In 1992, IAA bought four companies totaling $20 million. In 1993, the company extended its reach to the East Coast by investing $18.5 million in nine facilities in Texas, Arizona, and the Midwest.
They have a salvage title
What do you do when you discover a vehicle has a salvage title? You can buy it through an insurance auto auction. Car dealers have been selling cars with salvage titles for decades. Online auctions have changed the process of buying salvage-titled cars. The vehicles offered for auction are often priced well below market value. You’ll likely find that you can save a significant amount of money by purchasing a salvage-titled vehicle through an insurance auto auction.
If you’re interested in purchasing a salvage-titled car, you’ll have to make sure the title doesn’t have any issues. While the salvage title means the car was damaged during its previous life, it means it’s still technically on the road and will be covered by insurance. A salvaged title means the car has suffered damage and will be subject to inspections for licensing and registration. Damage amounts vary from state to state, but in New York and Florida, the vehicle must have at least 75% of its original retail value.
They are a form of retail therapy
For some people, shopping is a way to feel better and take control of their lives. If your work is stressful, you can treat yourself to something you enjoy. And if your relationship is rough, you can buy something self-soothing. These purchases make you feel good not only in the moment, but also for a long time afterwards. So, if shopping is your form of retail therapy, here are a few tips that can help you shop like a pro:
One of the most common ways to get pleasure from retail therapy is to buy a new item. Research shows that shopping improves your mood by up to 50%. Whether or not retail therapy works depends on the individual. Research from Michigan University suggests that it does. A study showed that people who watched a sad video were less sad afterward if they had money to spend on a snack. Another study showed that individuals who bought items were less sad than those who did not buy anything.
They are a matchmaker between buyers and sellers
In addition to buying and selling vehicles, IAAs are a matchmaker between buyers and owners of total losses. Such vehicles cost more to repair than they are worth and must be sold in the global market. Fortunately, IAAs have been a matchmaker between buyers and sellers for decades. This association of insurance shops, salvage yards, and hedge funds makes it easy for buyers and sellers to connect.
They are regulated
Unlike traditional car dealerships, insurance auto auctions are regulated. Dealers contend that the changes to the law create an unfair regulatory scheme. In addition, wholesale auctions are singled out for regulation while other sellers are exempt. Regulatory exceptions include car rental companies, leasing companies, fiduciaries, and private individuals disposing of vehicles for their own use. Nonetheless, these rules still affect car dealers.