Insurance write off categories help.

26th December 2011, 20:30

Hi all

Can someone in the know explain to me the different categories below.

Thanks.

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

26th December 2011, 20:44

ignore cat A and B, they are for break only and generally only available to registered dismantlers though they do work their way through to the public. Cat C is beyond economic repair, costs of repairs would exceed value of the car, generally come without V5 and will require a VIC check. Don't worry too much, i've seen saxos with more damage as cat C then some of the break only cars i've bought, on the other hand i've seen them down as cat C for want of a headlight, a joke really! Cat D is pretty much the same as cat C aside from the V5 is usually present. Also don't forget, all this bollocks about i'd never drive a Cat C car is bull, not all have had accidents, i've had cat C's that have been stolen -recovered and needed nothing but insurance have already paid the owner out, i've had plenty of flood damaged ones, need electrics stripping out and repairing, and ones that have been through floods and drawn water into the engine. By that reasoning, guess half the cars on here shouldn't be driven as they've had replacement engines?

26th December 2011, 20:48

cat A: for scrap only, badly damaged cars with little or no salvageable parts and to be never seen on a road again.

cat B: body shell should be crushed, some parts are salvageable, should never be seen on a road again.

cat C: vehicle is repairable but the costs exceed the vehicle's value, can be put back on the road (usually you have to have a vic test done).

cat D: vehicle is repairable but repair costs are significant compared to the vehicles value, can be put back on the road.

cat F: vehicle damaged by fire which the insurer has decided not to repair.

cat V: The V-Car register is a resource used by insurers and accident services to list when a car has been involved in an accident and classified as a write-off.

Write-off is an informal term used to describe a car that has been involved in an accident for example and damaged to an extent where the repair costs are larger than the total value of the car. It also applies to cars that have been stolen and not found; forcing insurers to pay out.

Once a car has made the V-Car register it can never escape the title, however it can be returned to the road. Cars with V-Car status are normally much cheaper than other used cars because they have had extensive repairs carried out are much more difficult to sell.

Insurance companies will also investigate whether a car has outstanding finance.

27th December 2011, 14:06

as above.