Check a car's history before you buy

A history check reveals a vehicle’s background that you cannot see from the listing: outstanding finance, insurance write-off records and category, stolen and scrapped markers, import and export records, plate transfers, the number of previous keepers, and the full MOT mileage history with any clocking flagged.

It covers the same kind of provenance data that people mean when they say "HPI check" (HPI is a brand name that became a generic term). A CarMate History Check uses Experian data for finance, write-off, stolen and similar markers, and adds the full MOT mileage timeline. Unlike a standard history check, it can also tell you whether the asking price is fair, and it is cheaper.

Yes. Every CarMate History Check is backed by an Experian data guarantee from £10,000. If a recorded marker, such as outstanding finance or a write-off, was on the records at the time of your check but the report missed it, the guarantee protects you up to its limit. It covers the accuracy of the data at the time of the check, not finance or other events added to the car after the check date, since a history check is a snapshot in time. The £10,000 cover suits most used cars, because it only needs to cover the value of the car you are buying. This is separate from the 30-day money-back guarantee on your purchase.

Run a History Check with the registration. If there is an active finance agreement recorded against the vehicle, it is shown along with the type of agreement. Buying a car with outstanding finance is risky because the finance company can legally repossess it from you even after you have paid the seller.

They are UK insurance write-off categories. Cat A and B are the most severe (the vehicle should never return to the road). Cat S means structural damage that has been or must be professionally repaired. Cat N means non-structural damage. A History Check shows the category and the date it was recorded.

Vehicle provenance (finance, write-off, stolen, scrapped, import and plate or keeper records) is sourced from Experian. Mileage and MOT history come from the official DVSA records, and vehicle specification from the DVLA.