Avoid damaged cars with our new Natural Disasters report feature

Catastrophic acts of nature may not be something you consider when buying a used car. But they should be.

We are happy to introduce the Natural Disasters feature to our report. It will check whether a vehicle may have been located in an area affected by calamities like floods, volcanic eruptions, or tropical cyclones. Hopefully, this will help users avoid vehicles impacted by water damage, fire damage, or other misfortunes.

carVertical Natural Disasters feature: what is it and how does it work?

From the available data, the new carVertical Natural Disasters section will suggest whether the vehicle’s location has been recorded in the area hit by a natural disaster, such as a flood, volcanic eruption, or tropical cyclone, around the time it occurred.

This can encourage you to take appropriate precautions before sealing the deal.

For example, the above report suggests the car may have been exposed to flooding. While it may not show any visible signs of damage, you could bring this to the attention of a professional mechanic during the physical inspection – it might save you thousands in repair bills.

The map of the area affected by a natural disaster and more details will appear in a vehicle history report.

Below the map, you’ll be able to see more information about a specific disaster, including:

• When it happened
• Where it happened
• And its severity, which is ranked from Low (1) to High (3)

The official natural disaster impact score is based on the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) data and is calculated differently depending on the event type.

Depending on the disaster type, the report will also provide a brief tip on what to inspect in such a car.

IMPORTANT: This feature doesn’t indicate that the car was directly affected by the natural disaster or even that it certainly was in the area of the natural disaster in question.

It serves as a precaution, helping buyers to become more aware of potential risks and pay closer attention to the possibility of underlying damage when inspecting used cars with such records.

The new carVertical’s Natural Disasters feature will give used car buyers even more context about vehicles they check and provide insights that can contribute to safety, reliability, and financial protection throughout the vehicle’s lifespan.

Armed with the information from a vehicle history report, buyers can negotiate a better price or walk away from the deal altogether.

Why should you be concerned about natural disasters when buying a vehicle?

You may have seen terrifying videos of cars being swept away by floods, but have you ever considered their fate after the emergency? So many of them make it back on the roads, putting unsuspecting buyers at risk.

Visually, these cars may look like nothing has ever happened to them, when in reality, there are many reasons to be concerned about buying such a vehicle, including:

• Hidden damage. Natural disasters can cause damage to a vehicle’s internal components, and if you don’t know what to look for, it’s not always possible to spot it. For example, even if a car is submerged in floodwater for a short time, water can get into the car’s electrical system, leading to corrosion or malfunctioning electronics.
• Long-term reliability. The damage made to a vehicle may not appear instantly, causing long-term reliability issues. Components that have been exposed to water, debris, or extreme weather conditions may deteriorate over time, resulting in unexpected breakdowns or maintenance issues.
• Resale value. Vehicles exposed to natural disasters often have significantly lower resale value. Potential buyers are wary of purchasing such cars, making it challenging to sell them or recoup the initial investment.

Knowing a car you're interested in may have been impacted by a natural disaster can help you ask the right questions when buying it.

Enter carVertical.