It is estimated that up to 13,500 vehicles flooded in Hurricane Katrina have entered the used car market in other states, many of which have been retitled and do not reflect that they are salvage vehicles, according to an article on the web site of the Center for Auto Safety. The article further listed the states which do not retain the "salvaged" notation when titling vehicles from another state, and Mississippi is one of those states.

In other words, watch out if you are buying a used auto, even from a state far away from New Orleans or the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It is easy nowadays to obtain a VIN check and record summary, and the price of such a report is well-worth the minimal investment