How is an accident reported to CarFax?

[fordxgt]

I was recently rear-ended and the damage is pretty minimal. No police report was made because the accident was minor with no injuries or significant damage and insurance info was exchanged.

I've started the claim process with my insurance but am holding off on the repair until I understand how an accident is reported on the CarFax vehicle history report. Best case is that my bumper needs to be resprayed and worst is that I need a new bumper and mounting hardware. My main concern is not having this appear on the CarFax because the automatic devaluation of the car.

Is it the police report that gets the accident put on the CarFax or is it the insurance claim?

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[Cardude99]

Once your vin hits a claim, its reported. Nothing you can do to stop it. Don't hold up repairs

 

[10r80]

Once your vin hits a claim, its reported. Nothing you can do to stop it. Don't hold up repairs

This

 

[jimmerheck]

not sure if thats necessarily true. I got rear ended in my tacoma a few years back. I considered selling it recently and ran a car fax, and it came back with no accidents. It was a minor rearend job but the parts were unbelievably expensive, for a total of around 2700 in damage and parts, as done by a local repair shop. Carfax shows no accidents.

 

[SVT-DADDY]

You would be surprised how often its not reported. A friend of mine owns a body shop and explained to me why. Can't remember the details tho!

 

[Clink]

I had to repair my rear end on the Mustang and used the Ford dealership collision center. I asked them and my insurance separately and neither said they report anything to Carfax.

I paid out of pocket regardless and when I sold the car over 2 years later it had a clean Carfax

 

[slink]

My 2016 was hit in a parking lot. The other party was at fault and their insurance paid for repairs. When I traded in the car, my Car Fax was clean.

 

[wireeater]

My 2016 was involved in an insurance claim that was around $4,600 in damage. When I traded it in, the dealer never mentioned anything. So I'm not sure if it wasn't on there or they just didn't care.

 

[Cobra Jet]

My prior 2011 Genesis Coupe was nailed hard on passenger side rear 1/4 by a deer coming out of the woods while I was doing 50mph. The damage required complete replacement of the entire 1/4 panel, passenger door skin as well as PDR to front fender (deer bounced down the entire side after plowing into 1/4).

Damage exceeded $7k - CarFax was clean when I traded it in Dec 2015 for my prior 2016 S550....

I too often wondered how CarFax data is reported... anyone work in the industry?

 

[w3rkn]

If it is a LEASE and the dealer fixes it & it is only cosmetic dmg, most will not report it. Because it effects the DEALER's resale value.

 

[Tom C]

I too often wondered how CarFax data is reported... anyone work in the industry?

I retired from auto insurance claims after 34 years in the biz. At one time most insurance companies had the personnel to report car accidents to Carfax. Generally speaking it was first party claims that were reported....i.e those customers who filed under their own collision coverage. Most times those who made third party claims (collecting from the other carrier) were not reported.

However in this age of downsizing and increased workloads spread out among smaller staffing, Carfax reporting was no longer a priority.

I've always contended that because there never was a consistent reporting process, Carfax reports that show 'clean' very well may not be if an accident wasn't reported to them.

For that reason I think Carfax is useless.

 

[huntiez]

its up to the body shop to report it i also had my 2012 mustang rearended
went through insurance and body shop kept the report out so never hit car faxs

 

[reek]

I stopped looking at carfax years ago after the wife's lexus was sideswiped taking out every panel except the front fender. dealer fixed it under our insurance. sold it years later with a clean carfax. right there and then, knew carfax was pretty much useless.

 

[BrianH87]

In my first car that I bought myself, an Evo VIII, I was hit by an 82 year old woman. $14,000 worth of damage and they did not total it. It never ever showed up on carfax. Not sure how or why. I was happy though because it helped me big time when I traded it in.

 

[lawrencecar]

i had a 2015 tacoma t-bonded 12k in damage. Did not show on carfax. i always thought it was the body shop process that reported it. I did get at fault insurance company to pay diminished value check to me when work was complete. I dealt directly with at fault insurance and never contacted mine..

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