Car written off - buying it back and any other advice please from those in the car/insurance/accident know for somebody with no previous experience?

[CarCalamity]

NC. Our family car was hit by a dangerously-driven lorry last week. The DC were in the car with me and it was pretty scary especially because of that, but apart from shock we are all ok, which is obviously the main thing.

The car was taken off for assessment and repair, and as it wasn't driveable I was given a hire car. We live rurally and one of the DC is severely disabled. Public transport isn't available or accessible so a car is essential for daily life, hospital visits and so on.

The damage was, surprisingly given the size and speed of the lorry, quite minor and I had assumed the car would be repaired. The assessors have just informed me that they have written it off because, being an older car, it is not cost-effective to repair it. This is a bit of a blow as we were ok with the car, and dread the effort and cost of finding another used one, especially when we hear prices are up and availability down. They said the hire car will have to go back too a few days after they pay us out. Being without a car in a rural area while we find another one and with a severely disabled child is not going to be easy!

A possibility is apparently that we buy our car back? We would need to get it transported over from about an hour away, have it repaired and a new MOT. Has anybody done this, and what are the pros and cons please? Any advice on dealing with the assessors, insurance company and about the loss of the hire car so soon? With everything else going on in life, it couldn't have come at a worse time and I can't see the wood for the trees at the moment.

Thanks in advance.

Thank you @tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz - glad you were ok and things worked out for you!

I've been looking but haven't found anything suitable for us yet. I went down a rabbit hole with one car, wasting time unfortunately because the MOT history showed the garage wasn't being honest about the condition. It looks like they'd got a dodgy new MOT - miraculously it doesn't mention a whole raft of problems down as advisories on a previous MOT. If something seems too good to be true and all that.

I can see why you'd do that in your situation, @RiderGirl

I haven't spent loads on this car and it was really only an easy car to put us on for a while until the right car - also fairly niche and in short supply - turned up. Life had got in the way and I hadn't really been looking, and so this car was doing us just fine in the circumstances in the meantime - until a lorry driver had other ideas!

It's very difficult to know what to do, because I'm not sure I've got the time, energy and inclination to get it fixed, yet equally I'm struggling to find another car.

According to the assessor's email today, I'm not going to be given any choice in the matter!

It's driveable but not legally driveable @mum11970 - no brake lights on one side as the whole unit was smashed off from the side. Also deep scratches and dents on that side, but not as far up as the door. Not that I'd want to, but I could live with that bodywork damage if I had to so that I had a drivable car on the road. The brake light obviously would have to be done.

Anyone?

Hi again OP.... It's all a huge pain isn't it? I'm really missing my car, I hate my 'courtesy' car, it's a real gas guzzler and I feel like I'm driving a tank. The company who have my car and who valued it really took the piss with their valuations so I've gone back to my insurers and asked them to get their own assessors to come up with a figure now. Apparently I have every right to do that - I don't understand how you've not even been given the option to query your valuation? I've been off work the last week and I feel like I've spent the whole time faffing about with this so that's pretty crappy. How is your situation atm?

I bought mine back after a lorry reversed into the side, the insurance assessors couldn’t get the panel from France for some reason and so it was a write off.
I expected I’d have to pay a lot more for another reliable car. They let me buy it back for £300 and I didn’t get it repaired as it passes it’s mot.
I wouldn’t spend much on mine as it is now fairly worthless so I’d be wary about buying yours back if it’s a costly repair.

When I was in similar circumstances, admittedly some years ago, the mechanic I've taken cars to for years advised me to be careful about buying the 'wreck' back. He said he could give me an idea of repair costs but it wouldn't be very reliable as, in his experience, trying to perform even an apparently simple task, such as undoing some bolts, on an older car, can lead to all sorts of expensive problems if nuts are solid and just won't budge, or sheer off, or a part breaks on removal, etc, etc.

He advised having it scrapped and replacing it.

I then got onto the assessor in person and begged and pleaded and 'negotiated' until I got an offer that would let me replace the car. I was armed with a (shortish) list of similar cars within a 20 mile radius, which she could check herself. I was also careful to be polite and friendly - I wanted to keep her onside. It wasn't a great experience, but it wasn't too bad.

Is the car with Copart?

Who is your insurance company?

Duettino - was that a q for the OP? I've heard some terrible reviews of them.

Also OP was the email from your insurance company direct or from whoever they have assessing it? If you're not happy, call your insurer direct and tell them - you're their customer, they have to try and put it right to your satisfaction. At the very least you have the right to take it to the insurance ombudsman if you don't feel your car's been fairly valued.

Yes for the OP.

Sounds like salvage agent gave valued car appropriately and then knocked some off to save the ins co money. They probably run a report to show their effectiveness and cost saving ability.

@Badtasteflump they're kind of awful but also just doing a job if that makes sense. As with any big company some people have great experiences and some don't. The insurance companies also do things that Copart then get a bad reputation for but then have no control over.

OP, if your car is at Copart (and probably any salvage yard) don't buy it back. It won't be worth it. The car will have been moved around by a forklift, likely causing damage to the underside and possibly the bumpers. They see it as scrap and they treat it as scrap. Sometimes other cars get dropped on it. They also drain the fuel for obvious health and safety reasons, sometimes they don't do this the correct way. The car will also have just sat in the open accumulating dirt and decay so depending on time there, could have flat tyres, no battery etc etc.

I have bought back a write off but it was a small dent. I made a profit.

but as someone who has “upgraded” to a newer car of the same model that has turned into a lemon, I’m tempted to say sometimes it’s better the devil you know. The car I traded in was faultless and needed age related work.

I'm temporarily somewhere remote without a landline or mobile signal, so I'm having to rely on email - which isn't helping!

The car is meant to still be at the repairers - I haven't given permission for it to be scrapped, but perhaps they think that doesn't matter?!

Ahh that's crap OP ... sorry I've no advice to offer although didn't know it's possible to negotiate the offer.

Hope it works out for you

Follow on thread:www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4619183-car-insurance-and-assessors-acting-without-my-permission-and-rushing-through-settlement?

Duettino crikey that's alarming! But worth knowing