Full HPI check: write-off, finance and stolen

An HPI check is the industry shorthand for a full vehicle history report: the checks that sit behind licensed databases rather than public ones. Our full report reads the MIAFTR insurance write-off register, the finance registers, the Police National Computer stolen marker and a recorded mileage history, then puts them alongside the DVLA registration history and every MOT test the car has ever taken.

What the full report covers

• Insurance write-off category (Cat A, B, S or N) with the loss date, loss type and insurer, and whether it was logged as a theft
• Outstanding finance, with the finance house, agreement type and a number to call
• Police National Computer stolen marker
• Recorded mileage history, with the source of each reading
• Plate transfers, colour changes, keeper count and V5C logbook issues
• Import, export, scrapped and Certificate of Destruction markers
• Road tax rates, factory specification and Euro NCAP safety scores
• Every MOT test with advisories

Why the write-off category is the one that matters

A car written off by an insurer and put back on the road is worth substantially less than the same car with a clean record, and a private seller is not always forthcoming about it. The category tells you what kind of damage it was: Cat S means structural damage was recorded, Cat N means non-structural, and Cat A and Cat B cars should never be back on the road at all.

Outstanding finance can cost you the car

If an agreement is still running, the finance company still owns the vehicle. The Hire Purchase Act 1964 protects a private buyer who bought in good faith without knowing, but not a trader buying stock or anyone buying a leased car, and they can lose the car after paying the seller. Ask for a settlement letter before any money changes hands.

Start free if you only need the basics

Not every car needs a paid report. The free vehicle history check covers MOT history, the mileage timeline, clocking detection and MOT status at no cost. Free-filter several cars first, then run the full report on the one you actually want. You can also check the mileage, decode the VIN (or read how to read one first), see MOT pass rates for the model for free, and search recorded closing bids for Cat S and Cat N lots before you bid.

New to HPI checks? Read what an HPI check is, what it actually shows, and whether a free one exists.

Comparing providers? See how we stack up against HPI Check, against carVertical, against Experian AutoCheck, against the RAC, against the AA, against the free GOV.UK check, against Total Car Check and against Motorcheck.