Insurance Write Off Categories ?

[Shadeyman]

I've been talking to a friend who said that buying an insurance write off is not as bad as most people think. In fact its a good way to get a good car cheaply.

Long story short.

Missus decided she didn't like the Alfa 147 so I sold it last Sunday.
She's now driving her sisters little 206 to work and hates it.
She agreed I do chose better cars and wants me to pick a family car, something that will allow for more children next year.
After a quick chat with friends I've decided I want a Volvo XC90 Executive(7 seater 2.4 diesel). I'm in no rush, don't really need it untill the new year but earlier if it needs repairing.

So I'm thinking buy an insurance write off and fix it up myself so I know its been done properly or buy one thats already been done buy someone I trust.

My problem is I don't understand the categories that insurance companies use and what they actually mean to someone like me?

I know a cat D write off is the best type but why, whats the difference between that and a C or A write off?

 

[Eklipze3k]

This should help - http://www.insurancewriteoff.co.uk/

 

[Kier]

Cat A is scrap, not allowed to use any parts.
Cat B is scrap, but can use parts
Cat C is repairable, but will need a VIC and MOT (no idea what VIC is, costs around £50, think its to say its not two cars put together etc).
Cat D is repairable, doesn't need MOT/VIC, believe you might be able to drive it with the damage.

Fairly sure thats it.

 

[Shadeyman]

So cat A and B are not repairable and of no use to me because the vehicle is broken up for parts or completely scrapped.

But cat C's onwards are fixable.

More questions.

Has anyone done this, repaired a write off?

If I were considering fixing the car myself would a cat C be a good choice or should I play it safe and choose a cat D?

I would expect a cat C to be cheaper to buy than a cat D but would the savings made buying a cat C be a false economy?

 

[Eklipze3k]

I'm sure someone on here got a Cat-C Stilo back on the road, but for the life of me I can't remember who it was.

 

[Shadeyman]

Would it be likely that a cat C write off would have chassi damage and need to be jigged to check it was ok?

The XC90 is a big car, getting it jigged may be an issue.

 

[jenks69]

Last year I bought a brava that had been crashed but not insurance registered.... please don't make that mistake, there was a lot more work involved than a Cat D and I am sure the car should have been a Cat C on the bright side no paperwork or via / mot to worry about.... that said what it cost me in parts and time I could have bought a not crashed car admitidly my budget was a lot lower than your is.

When SWMBO goes back to work in a few months we'll need another car so I am very tempted by a Cat D beasty and let her use the pug, leaving my landy for fun / and not my daily drive.

I often look on this site at the auction section and avoid ebay like the plague when it comes to accident damamged cars.

http://www.silverlake.co.uk/

 

[Shadeyman]

Thank you for the link, great site.

This is a lower spec than the one I'm considering buying but I like the price.
http://auctions.silverlake.co.uk/ve...er_site=82&site=&s=xc90&orderby=7&value=76379

Cat D is defo the way to go then?

 

[dave]

Would it be likely that a cat C write off would have chassi damage and need to be jigged to check it was ok?

the whole system is a joke, depends how much of an are the insurance assessor is. some will CAT A a car with only cosmetic damage, some will CAT C a car that is dangerous if not fixed by only the best body technicians in the country.
some thing is fishy, are they getting paid more than scrap value if they keep the cat low on high value cars :chin:

Best bet is to not buy blind, do your own assessment, if its a D the v5 should be with it so take the old keepers name off it and give them a call, find out how it was damaged


http://www.bluecycle.com/car-salvage-auctions

 

[Shadeyman]

if its a D the v5 should be with it so take the old keepers name off it and give them a call, find out how it was damaged

http://www.bluecycle.com/car-salvage-auctions

Great idea and thanks for the link ..

 

[Freebo]

I believe if you buy a Cat C or D the insurer needs to know about this and may increase premiums however I might be wrong!

 

[jenks69]

I believe if you buy a Cat C or D the insurer needs to know about this and may increase premiums however I might be wrong!

I am 99% sure this is a myth.... I've never been asked about it and lets be fair the insurers have access to the information as it's their communal database so to speak, just be sure to check the small print when the docs arrive I wouldn't mention it on the phone intentionally as they are robbing tards and will make something up and add £200

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Would it be likely that a cat C write off would have chassi damage and need to be jigged to check it was ok?

No. D is repairable but company decided not to normally. IE new car, over 60% of value, so the honour the new car inside a year bit of their policy, or parts may take 4 months to arrive as its a brand new car, and it'll cost more in courtesy car costs etc.

D on a new car isn't much of an issue.

C normally mean beyond economical repair but the insurer, but can still be repaired well using used / none OEM parts.

Both a C or D could or could not have chassis damage.

Dad's Panda I purchased at 6 months old with 447 miles on the clock in Jan 2010. Was a CAT-D, front end, no chasis damage. Repaired it and had a £8k car for about £4400

I am 99% sure this is a myth.... I've never been asked about it and lets be fair the insurers have access to the information as it's their communal database so to speak, just be sure to check the small print when the docs arrive I wouldn't mention it on the phone intentionally as they are robbing tards and will make something up and add £200

Actually John is correct, they do technically need to be told, but they never ask so I've not informed them

The database is for their use if needed (IE claim situation) to for them to refer to, hence why you still need to notify them of any previous claims, even though they'll be on the CUE register

 

[beau]

just to let you know a CAT B can still be put back on the road, just needs a vic check same as a CAT C

CAT A is the only one that cannot legally go back on the road.

 

[yampug]

main thing to remember is what ever you buy to fix it will never be worth as much as a normal car you will always have to declare it to future buyers that the car was a cat d or c so you may think you're getting a cheap car but that only works if you never plan on selling it. have a look on ebay at the prices of cat d and c bikes and cars and you'll see they sell even if fixed perfectly for about 25% less than normal.

i believe also that some insurance companies will not pay out on a vehicle in the even of an accident as it has already been paid out on though i'm not 100% sure on that one.

have a look at the copart site http://www.copart.co.uk/c2/home.html. though you do have to register to buy from them.

 

[AndyRKett]

I believe also that some insurance companies will not pay out on a vehicle in the even of an accident as it has already been paid out on though i'm not 100% sure on that one.

Sorry thats utter tripe, if you insure a vehicle and it is damaged then you are fully entitled to claim from your own or third party insurance. it doesn't matter if its been in multiple accidents in the past if its in good working order taxed MOT'd and insured then there is no "we won't pay out because its already been paid out on"

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Sorry thats utter tripe, if you insure a vehicle and it is damaged then you are fully entitled to claim from your own or third party insurance. it doesn't matter if its been in multiple accidents in the past if its in good working order taxed MOT'd and insured then there is no "we won't pay out because its already been paid out on"

:yeahthat:

just to let you know a CAT B can still be put back on the road, just needs a vic check same as a CAT C

New one on me. Can you advise where you've found this out, out of interest.

B - break for parts only normally
A - Destroy whole.

Only time I can see a CAT B being able to go on the road is if it's written off by a 3rd party's insurer and you've refused to let them have salvage. Can't be sold by a scrappy as far as I'm aware.

 

[yampug]

Sorry thats utter tripe, if you insure a vehicle and it is damaged then you are fully entitled to claim from your own or third party insurance. it doesn't matter if its been in multiple accidents in the past if its in good working order taxed MOT'd and insured then there is no "we won't pay out because its already been paid out on"

But even if this has been done by the book, buyers can still face problems. Some insurance companies which put Category D cars out for salvage refuse to cover them when they have been repaired, the OFT says, although the Association of British Insurers (ABI) claims there is “no empirical evidence to suggest this is widespread”. If a buyer takes a risk and fails to declare that the car was once a write-off, the insurance company would almost certainly refuse to pay out if there was a claim.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring...-behind-category-D-insurance-writes-offs.html

 

[Eklipze3k]

Ok, so 'some' and 'if the buyer fails to inform them', we know insurance companies will look for any way out of paying so of course they'll withhold if the policy holder isn't upfront!

 

[AndyRKett]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring...-behind-category-D-insurance-writes-offs.html

But even if this has been done by the book, buyers can still face problems. Some insurance companies which put Category D cars out for salvage refuse to cover them when they have been repaired, the OFT says, although the Association of British Insurers (ABI) claims there is “no empirical evidence to suggest this is widespread”. If a buyer takes a risk and fails to declare that the car was once a write-off, the insurance company would almost certainly refuse to pay out if there was a claim.

so some companies wont cover them in the first place so if you crash it you're not insured anyway, and others won't cover you if you fail to declare the car has been accident damaged and categorised in the past.......

so not what you said at all then

i believe also that some insurance companies will not pay out on a vehicle in the even of an accident as it has already been paid out on