David,
Ask them to confirm the vehicle will be a category A write off. This means that the car should be crushed and all parts will never re-appear on the road.
Cat A,
Cat B
Cat S
Cat N
The new Category S means the vehicle has suffered structural damage.
This could include a bent or twisted chassis, or a crumple zone that has collapsed in a crash.
Category S damage is more than just cosmetic, therefore, and the vehicle will need to be professionally repaired.
Also, it won’t be safe to drive until then.
Category N (formerly Category D)
Vehicles graded accordingly haven’t sustained structural damage, so the issue may be cosmetic, or a problem with the electrics that isn’t economical to repair.
Don’t assume such vehicles are drivable, however; non-structural faults may include brakes, steering or other safety-related parts.
The ABI Salvage Code dictates that Category A and Category B cars should be crushed, with Cat B vehicles allowed to donate some safe and serviceable parts.
However, write-offs in the latter two categories can be sold on by the insurance company, either to the original owner or to a third party via a car salvage company.
Cars written off as a Category S case, must have a Form V23* submitted by the insurer, self-insurer or agent to DVLA as soon as the categorisation decision is made and without waiting for V5.
However, it is the responsibility of the keeper to notify DVLA when a vehicle is passed to an insurer following a total loss payment.
No notifications are made to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) or VOSA when a car is written off in a Category N situation.
Cars in the latter two categories can sometimes represent a bargain, if they are priced accordingly.
An older car can be repaired to an acceptable standard at a lower cost than that dictated by an insurance company’s standards – especially if used parts or cheaper labour are used.
Posted: Fri May 19, 2023 9:32 pm
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