Car written off

[00alwaysbusymum]

Hi I'm posting here for traffic

Just after some advice.

I don't drive but we have a family car that was parked on a main road. Someone hit the side of the car denting it and some scratches. We claimed on the car insurance and it was repaired and we paid excess and were happy. After all that's what insurance is for.

Anyway today my husband went to get a quote for part exchanging our car for a nicer, bigger one and was told our car was only worth £1k, he was a bit shocked as a year ago we were quoted £5k for part exchanging it. When he questioned them they said the insurance company had categorised it as category D write off. We had no idea and now really worried our car is almost worthless. I don't really get involved in sorting out cat stuff but now want to help my husband but don't have a clue what we can do ?

Grateful for any advice
Thanks

When a car is written off after a claim, the insurance company pay out the value of the car - it's not repaired. You'd have to buy it back yourselves to get the repairs done and as you mention paying an excess that doesn't sound as if you did.

Can you check with the insurance company? Or get the paperwork from your husband and check what is on it?

Just asked dh, he's works for Direct Line in the body shop and this is what he does for a living.

He said they can't repair and categorise it without you being told. If it's a write off they have to tell you and offer you a settlement of either the damaged car back plus a percentage of the value or full cash and no car.

They do repair write offs but only with the owners permission.

Cat c and cat d can be repaired, cat a and cat b are crushed.

Are you sure your claim wrote it off and it wasn't a cat D when you bought it?

I believe cat D is an uneconomical to repair write off, not serious structural damage. Not sure why that would make the car lose so much money tho..... garage trying to pull a fast one maybe to pay less? Can you get another opinion? I believe a lot of people aren't happy to buy cars with any type of write off so naybe that is taken into account

It wasn't a category d when we bought it from the dealer ( 2nd hand)

but if your insurance company paid for it to be fixed, its not a write off.

something is wrong here

Who are you insured with?
You should've been told when they repaired it and given the option, you should also have paperwork/invoices of the work done.

Unfortunately though the Cat D does affect the value.

Ins co would not get involved in repairing a write off. They would pay you out the pre-accident value of the car minus any salvage figure and excess. The car is then yours to either dispose of or use the money towards repairs. Any car regardless of category of total loss needs to be registered on something called MIAFTR it could be the case it's been incorrectly lodged and that's why it's flagging up to the garage. You need to call your ins co and find out on what basis they actually settled this claim and if anybody incorrect filing has been made with MIAFTR