if your fiat needs a new engine but i can not afford a new one is it possible to claim it on the insurance as a right off

Depends why it needs a new engine. If the belt has snapped then no, as it's a ware and tear/lack of maintenance thing, but if because you've driven through a FO big puddle and sucked in water then yes.

You could set fire to the car of course, but thats fraud and the could sill remove the engine head and find damage if they wanted to.

Why not get a re-con unit rather than new?

Jon.