Kentucky preparing for a flood of vehicles following recent hurricanes

Kentucky preparing for a flood of vehicles following
recent hurricanes

State says cars damaged in hurricanes will find their way here

While Kentucky has not been directly affected by hurricanes Harvey and Irma, the Commonwealth could soon experience flooding of another kind: a rise in flood-damaged vehicles.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Department of Vehicle Regulation (DVR) is preparing for an influx of title requests for vehicles that have been deemed a total loss due to natural disaster damage in states such as Florida and Texas, then brought to Kentucky to be “rebuilt.”

“Our title requests for flood-damaged vehicles tripled after Hurricane Matthew in 2016. Kentucky has a sizeable ‘rebuilt car’ industry, and many vehicles deemed as scrap or junk make their way into our state,” stated John-Mark Hack, commissioner for the Department of Vehicle Regulation.

“Consumers need to be aware that many of these vehicles will be hitting the market, and there’s a potential for issues with a rebuilt automobile.”

Flood-damaged vehicles in other states are given a scrap title or junking certificate. Florida uses a certificate of destruction.

Texas provides a non-repairable title.

After arrival in Kentucky, flood-damaged vehicles undergo a “rebuild” process that typically involves only cleaning the interior and exterior and changing the system fluids.

These vehicles are then sold at a significantly reduced cost.

Source: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Department of Vehicle Regulation (DVR)