STEVE INSKEEP, host: Hurricane Katrina destroyed billions of dollars worth of property but a      lot of cars apparently survived.  That's to the dismay of insurance      investigators. They say cars and trucks have been taken out of flood      zones and sent to used car lots across the country.  It's not illegal to      do this if the damage is disclosed.  But sometimes it's not, which is why      Sergeant Gary Bridges(ph) of the Louisiana State Police says used car      buyers should check.</s>Sergeant GARY BRIDGES (Louisiana State Police): If you push down on the      cushion in the car and you're getting water coming up out of the cushion      or it's got that smell that you just can't get rid of, for the purchaser,      for their protection they need to investigate that a little further.</s>STEVE INSKEEP, host: More than 200,000 hurricane-damaged cars, trucks and boats are      now listed on a publicly accessible database.  It's on the Web.  It's run      by the National Insurance Crime Bureau which is funded by the insurance      industry.</s>STEVE INSKEEP, host: Mr. FRANK SCAFFITI(ph) (Insurance Crime Bureau):  A car that's been      exposed to water and been inundated, you'll see signs around the body of      that vehicle that look very much like age rings in a tree.  If you find      something like that and you buy the car, I don't know that anybody can      help you.</s>STEVE INSKEEP, host: Frank Scaffiti is with the Insurance Crime Bureau.</s>Mr. SCAFFITI: It's very easy to be taken by a car that's been completely      detailed, has no odor to it, looks perfectly fine and you wi--you drive      it away and the next thing you know it starts to fall apart right out      from under you.</s>STEVE INSKEEP, host: One more reason to take a used car to a good mechanic for a      thorough examination.</s>STEVE INSKEEP, host: This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News.  I'm Steve Inskeep.
Insurance investigators say cars and trucks have been taken out of flood zones after Hurricane Katrina and sent to used car lots nationwide. It's not illegal to do this if the damage is disclosed, but sometimes it's not. Used-car buyers are being urged to take precautions.