check if your car declared theft/total loss
 

fyi - has your car been declared a total loss or stolen? newly released database searchable by public for free. based on recent LA Times article. check here (national insurance crime bureau):

http://www.nicb.org

Thanks for the link!
I just checked my VIN, and there where no problems. I guess this sort of undermines CarFax reports, since it's free. But it isn't as extensive.

In most states, if a car has been paid for by the insurance company, either as an accident total or a theft loss, the car must then be re-titled as salvage, with a separate title type - salvage.
Unfortunately, Alabama, and maybe other states, do not have a salvage title, so the car may be "sold" to someone in Alabama, re-titled and then "sold" back, so the salvage title disappears.
I have heard there are more than one company in Alabama who take advantage of this situation.
Beware