IAA Auto Transport — Insurance Auctions

You Won an IAA Lot. Time to Move It.

IAA — formerly Insurance Auto Auctions, now part of Ritchie Bros Auctioneers — runs 200+ U.S. branches focused on insurance and fleet salvage. The mix is heavier on total-loss insurance vehicles than Copart's, with a higher percentage of "starts and runs" vehicles plus a steady flow of fleet returns and donation cars.

Bold dispatches IAA pickups in 24–48 hours on most lanes — well inside IAA's typical 5-day removal window. Our drivers know the IAA portal flow, lot retrieval procedure, and the gate-out requirements at every branch class (basic, hub, and direct facilities).

If you're a recurring IAA buyer running 5+ pickups a month, talk to dispatch about volume rates: (469) 942-5444.

How Bold's IAA Pickup Works

1. You win the auction and pay your invoice. Pay through the IAA Buyer Portal (Buyer.IAA-Auctions.com or the new RB unified site, depending on rollout phase). Vehicles are not released until payment clears — usually same-day for ACH/wire, 1–2 days for buyer-account terms.
2. Pull your gate pass. In the IAA Buyer Portal under "Won Vehicles" → select the lot → "Print Pickup Receipt / Gate Pass". This is what the carrier presents at the branch gate.
3. Get a Bold quote. Use our cost calculator with the IAA branch ZIP and your delivery address. Note non-op status — winch surcharge is built in.
4. Bold dispatches. Within 24–48 hours of booking on most lanes. Carrier assigned with appropriate equipment (open, enclosed, non-op winch).
5. Branch pickup. Driver presents gate pass and photo ID. IAA staff retrieves the vehicle from its lot. Bill of Lading inspection on the spot — critical for salvage where pre-existing damage is the norm. Take photos.
6. Door delivery. Driver calls 24 hours ahead, walks the vehicle with you, signs BOL, payment of carrier balance.

IAA Pickup Paperwork Checklist

• Paid invoice — IAA does not release without payment confirmation
• Gate pass / pickup receipt — printed from the IAA Buyer Portal under "Won Vehicles"
• Bill of Sale — auto-generated post-payment
• Photo ID — driver's ID for the gate
• Buyer authorization — your IAA account allows assigning a carrier as agent. Some branches require this; others accept the printed gate pass alone.
• Title status — IAA mails the title 14–30 days post-payment. You don't need the title in hand to pick up. Gate pass is enough.
• Lot/stock number, VIN, branch address — for the carrier dispatch sheet

Auction lots skip most of the prep that retail customers handle (no fuel-down requirement, no personal-items removal — IAA inventory is already cleared), but the BOL inspection at the gate is the critical step. If you're a first-time IAA buyer who's also moving a personal vehicle on the same trip, our title and gate-pass paperwork guide walks through the documentation rules for non-auction loads so you don't accidentally apply auction-style paperwork to a clean retail move.

IAA Removal Window — 5 Days, Then Storage Fees

IAA's standard removal window is 5 calendar days from invoice payment. Beyond that, storage fees apply. Fees vary by branch but typical:

Non-Op Loading at IAA

IAA's lot mix runs roughly half non-op. Most insurance total-losses are non-running because they came in after a major collision. Bold's non-op carriers carry a winch and load straps. Our Inoperable Vehicle Shipping page documents the full equipment inventory, dollie procedures for cars that won't steer, and the engineering notes behind why a winch-equipped carrier is the right call for IAA wins. Vehicle requirements:

• All four wheels present and rolling (we can air up flats or use dollies)
• Steering responds (front wheels can be turned)
• Frame intact enough to load (no severe split or cantilever damage)

Vehicles that don't roll need a flatbed or specialized recovery — quotable separately. Non-op surcharge: $150–$300 over running-vehicle pricing.

Non-Op Inventory at IAA vs. Copart

IAA's inventory leans heavier on insurance total-loss vehicles — typically 75–80% non-op or limited-op across the network. Copart's mix is more balanced, running closer to 60% non-op because of theft recoveries and dealer trade-ins that still drive. For winch loadout, the two auctions are operationally similar — Bold's carriers come prepared either way and the surcharge structure is identical. Where IAA differs is the proportion of "limited mobility" lots: cars that technically drive but with collision damage, suspension issues, or airbag deployment that makes self-loading unsafe. Plan for winch-equipped equipment on roughly 8 of every 10 IAA pickups.

IAA Branch Classes — What to Expect at the Gate

• Direct branches — Largest IAA facilities. Streamlined pickup, predictable gate hours, modern lot management. Most major metro IAA locations are Direct.
• Hub branches — Mid-size facilities, generally efficient but may have shorter gate hours than Direct.
• Standard branches — Smaller regional yards. Some require appointments, some have limited equipment for non-op retrieval. Our dispatch handles the coordination.
• Sublots / consolidator yards — Branches that share space with other auction operators. Same paperwork, slightly different gate flow.

Our dispatchers know which branches require advance appointment and schedule the carrier accordingly. You don't need to coordinate with IAA directly past printing the gate pass.

Sample IAA Pickup Pricing

Why Bold for IAA Loads

• Fast dispatch (24–48 hr) — well inside IAA's 5-day removal window on most lanes
• Non-op equipment available — winch carriers on the load board, not subcontracted out
• Branch expertise — our dispatchers know which IAA branches require appointments, which run tight gate hours, and which have lot-retrieval delays at peak times
• $0 deductible insurance — full coverage on every load, including salvage. See our auction-pickup coverage notes for how cargo policy reads against pre-existing IAA total-loss damage so claim disputes don't drag.
• BOL discipline on salvage — pre-existing damage is documented at pickup AND at delivery so transit damage is provable
• Volume buyer rates — wholesale and rebuilder buyers running 5+ pickups a month get tiered pricing

How to Get an IAA Buyer Code

IAA uses a Buyer Code — a numerical identifier tied to a registered buyer entity (a licensed dealer, broker, or licensed individual). It's not the same as a member account login. Apply directly at iaai.com/buyer-application. Most retail buyers without a dealer license go through a licensed broker who lets you bid under their Buyer Code for a per-vehicle fee. When Bold picks up your vehicle, your Buyer Code and the registered buyer name need to appear on the gate-pass photo so the carrier can retrieve the lot. Bold itself does not hold an IAA Buyer Code — your code goes on the bill of lading at pickup.

Is IAA Still IAA? The Ritchie Bros Rebrand

IAA was acquired by Ritchie Bros in 2023 and is now part of RB Global, the parent company that also owns Ritchie Bros Auctioneers and IronPlanet. The IAA brand still operates day-to-day under its own name — branches, signage, staff, and lot management haven't changed. The Buyer Portal lives at buyer.iaai.com, though some users see redirects to rba-auctions.com depending on their account migration phase. Operationally, nothing important has shifted: auction logistics, Buyer Codes, the 5-day removal window, gate-pass procedure, and storage fee schedules are all unchanged. Only the parent-company branding moved.

Warning for international exporters consolidating IAA wins: the United Arab Emirates enforces a strict UAE branded-title import ban on salvage, flood, rebuilt, and total-loss vehicles. Because IAA inventory is overwhelmingly insurance total-loss, the majority of an IAA wholesaler's catalog is not UAE-eligible regardless of how cleanly the car was rebuilt. Always confirm the title brand before sending IAA wins into a Jebel Ali-bound container — clean-title IAA inventory (fleet returns, off-lease, donations) is fine; branded-title units will stall at UAE customs.

Who Ships Through Bold From IAA

• Insurance vehicle buyers — total-loss recovery and rebuild operations
• Fleet remarketers — buying corporate fleet returns and rental returns at IAA Direct branches; many of these buyers run a hybrid model that pairs IAA insurance trade-ins with traditional dealer auto transport moves between recon yards and the eventual retail-ready dealer lot
• DIY rebuilders taking project cars to home garages
• Parts harvesters stripping vehicles for component sales
• International exporters consolidating IAA wins into containers — Bold delivers to U.S. ports for ocean freight to UK, Germany, or UAE
• Mexican exporters — Bold delivers to U.S.-side border terminals (see USA to Mexico shipping) for handoff to a Mexican broker

IAA Yard-by-Yard Storage Fee Quick Reference

IAA's standard storage rate is higher than Copart's at most yards ($50/day at the 8 largest hubs vs. Copart's $25–$40 typical), but IAA's 5-day grace is longer than Copart's 3-day. Net cost at the typical 7-day post-sale window is comparable. Below are publicly disclosed Q3 2026 daily fees at the 8 highest-volume IAA yards (now part of RB Global / Ritchie Bros).

Figures are illustrative Q3 2026 typical rates compiled from IAA Buyer Portal fee disclosures and may shift each quarter. Always confirm the current per-branch rate inside the lot detail page before sizing a worst-case storage budget — the Ritchie Bros / RB Global integration has caused a few branches to reissue their fee schedules under the new parent-company template.