When is an Insurance Damage 'Write Off' not written off?
VCAR was the old name for an Insurance Damage Write-off.
A 'write off' is a colloquial term for a vehicle which has been declared a total loss by an insurer, either following accident damage or theft. There are some 450,000 accident-related write-offs every year and another 150,000 insurance thefts, many of which are subsequently recovered damaged and re-classified. Many write-offs are legitimately allowed back on the roads following a repair; the safest ones to buy are those which have passed an independent vehicle inspection, such as those on HPI's Condition Inspected register. However, almost half of all write-offs are so badly damaged that qualified insurance inspectors determine that they should never go back on the road. To assist the industry and the used car buyer, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has since 1997 provided the following classification of damage to vehicles that have been deemed an insurance write-off:
o Category A:
Scrap only - this vehicle should have been crushed. It should never reappear on the road and there are no economically salvageable parts. It is of value only for scrap metal - e.g. a totally burnt-out vehicle.
o Category B:
The bodyshell should have been crushed. The vehicle should never reappear on the road, but it can be broken for spare parts plus any residual scrap metal.
o Category C:
Vehicle extensively damaged and insurer has decided not to repair. May be repaired and put back on the road. Has to pass an inspection to be re-registered as damaged repaired.
o Category D:
Vehicle damaged and insurer has decided not to repair. When fixed can be re-registered as damaged repaired.
o Category F:
Vehicle damaged by fire and insurer has decided not to repair. When fixed can be re-registered as damaged repaired.
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I got my A's, B's, C's and D's around the wrong way in my last post
