Buying a Car Without a Title is a Bad Idea!
- Details
- Category: Auto Insurance Articles
- Published: Thursday, 17 December 2015 14:26
- Written by Agent Doug Hartley
- Hits: 2628
You found the perfect vehicle from an online classifieds ad. You meet up with the guy, test drive the car and whip out your wallet to pay him cash. He hands you the keys and a bill of sale. But where is the title you ask. He proceeds to tell you this long story of why he doesn't have the title but promises to mail it to you once he gets the new title from the DMV or finds the old one. You take the bill of sale and give him the cash and drive away, believing the guy will be honest and send you the title. Why was this a bad idea?
First, the car could be stolen and they just stole hundreds if not thousands of dollars from you. Second, if you don't have the title you can't register the car in your name. Then, if your insurance agent is paying attention, then you shouldn't be able to list it on your policy as most insurance companies in Oregon only cover cars that belong to you. They way you prove after a loss or accident that a car belongs to you is that you provide proof the car is registered in your name. The company could deny the claim if you have put a car on your policy for which you have no proof you own. And, unfortunately, there are plenty of agents out there willing and ready to insure a car that you can't prove is yours.