Title Brands

When purchasing a motor vehicle in the state of Wisconsin you may encounter titles with “brands” on them. We will explain the origins and significances of the five most common brands found on Wisconsin titles. As the term indicates, brands are permanent and will remain on the title for the life of the vehicle (until junked). These brands will be found in the area of the title just under the “Secured Party” area.


PREVIOUSLY TITLED IN (another state)

This brand occurs when the vehicle was titled in another state and brought to Wisconsin to register and operate on Wisconsin highways. The only time I would be concerned with a brand such as this is if there are two or more states indicated.


CLEAN TITLE

The explanation of branded titles begins with the description of a “clean” title. This title is one where no brands are found. This is not necessarily an indication of an unblemished past. It simply means the vehicle did not pass through the process that causes the titles to be branded. This avoidance of brands can occur where the vehicle was damaged and then sold through private parties without notifying the state of the damage. You are supposed to notify the state of damage in excess of 30%, but the likelihood of that is about the same as paying the sales tax you owe on out-of-state purchases (not very likely). You would then surrender the title for branding as “Salvage”.

Careful pre-purchase inspection by a qualified facility helps reduce the likelihood of hidden damage of consequence.


CLAIM PAID TITLE

The first brand we will discuss is the brand that reads “This vehicle transferred to insurer upon payment of claim”. This is commonly known as a claim paid title.

In the event the insurance company takes possession of a vehicle and the damage is between 1% and 35% of the Actual Cash Value (ACV) of the vehicle at the time of the incident it will acquire the “Claim Paid” brand. This brand only exists in Wisconsin .

Since it does not say “Salvage” on the title it is not a Salvage brand. The accuracy of this brand is determined by the accuracy of the initial estimate and how the insurance company processes the paperwork. Very often this brand does not show up on a title that is transferred out of state, but if the title ever is transferred back to an owner in the state of Wisconsin it will reappear on the title as it will be carried in the data base for at least ten years. Once again, careful pre-purchase inspection is recommended.


SALVAGE TITLE

This is the brand that is applied to vehicles that have sustained between 1% and 99% of the Actual Cash Value in damage in the most recent incident. This brand is characteristically applied by the insurance company involved in the setting of the claim.

The brand as applied in Wisconsin will read “This is a Salvage Vehicle”. It will appear just below the Lien Holder area of the tile.

This vehicle is not legal to operate on public highways until it has been repaired and inspected in accordance with the salvage vehicle repair laws of the state of Wisconsin .

With the range of damage that can be sustained, careful inspection and verification as to the extent of damage is imperative. Anybody buying salvage bikes is strictly on their own and the phrase “Caveat Emptor” (Buyer Beware) definitely applies here.



SALVAGE INSPECTED

This is the next step in the processing of a vehicle declared salvage in the state of Wisconsin . Upon completion of repairs in accordance with the state of Wisconsin salvage vehicle laws the title will then have the brand changed to read “This vehicle is rebuilt salvage – WI inspection passed”. This inspection is done by a law enforcement officer.

This brand will remain on the title for the life of the vehicle.

While it’s true this brand does reduce the resale value of the vehicle, t