a car that is totaled in NY can be re-born in a used car lot in alabama

In the UK we use the term "ringing" for rebirth, or in the words of the Home Office document "swapping the identity of a vehicle they have stolen with that of a written-off or scrapped vehicle".

There is also "cut and shut" which is making one whole (but quite possibly dangerous) car from two write-offs or stolen cars.

Write-off=totalled of course.

There is a single agency in UK for vehicle registration and a proposal (don't know if it is law) for a Vehicle Identity Check for all reregistrations on written off vehicles to combat ringing. I'll just have to find a different hobby

Rod