My insurance company want to write my car off
Discussion
Can I ask the Pistonheads knowledeg base for some factual advice?
Without going into specifics, I don't want to compromise the present situation.
My weekend runabout was reversed into at speed by another driver. Independent witnesses and formal admition of liability by other driver. Their insurance company have accepted liability... All seemes ok so far!!
Just heard from my insurer that the car is beyond economical repair.
I don't agree and just want to have the damage fixed.
What are my options?
Can I go directly to the other drivers insurers?
I really don't want to lose the car or, indeed, write it off at all
So what would my options be to save my car?
Without going into specifics, I don't want to compromise the present situation.
My weekend runabout was reversed into at speed by another driver. Independent witnesses and formal admition of liability by other driver. Their insurance company have accepted liability... All seemes ok so far!!
Just heard from my insurer that the car is beyond economical repair.
I don't agree and just want to have the damage fixed.
What are my options?
Can I go directly to the other drivers insurers?
I really don't want to lose the car or, indeed, write it off at all
So what would my options be to save my car?
Well option 1 would be not to go through your insurance. So cancel the claim.
Of course this doesn't get your car repaired, however you do get to keep it and then you'd need to pay for repairs yourself.
Second option would be to ask the insurance firm if you can buy the car off them. They will give you a settlement for the write-off, so the car then belongs to them. Speaking to them and they will probably make you an offer and you can buy the car back and then once more pay for the repair damage yourself.
If insurance wants to write-off then you can of course appeal to them. If you truly feel that it is the wrong decision then I guess ombudsman would be an option, however that will all take time.
But before you answer the question on "is this the wrong decision" ask yourself just how much would it cost to have the vehicle repaired by a proper repair centre and then ask if this is indeed higher than the cars actual value.
Of course this doesn't get your car repaired, however you do get to keep it and then you'd need to pay for repairs yourself.
Second option would be to ask the insurance firm if you can buy the car off them. They will give you a settlement for the write-off, so the car then belongs to them. Speaking to them and they will probably make you an offer and you can buy the car back and then once more pay for the repair damage yourself.
If insurance wants to write-off then you can of course appeal to them. If you truly feel that it is the wrong decision then I guess ombudsman would be an option, however that will all take time.
But before you answer the question on "is this the wrong decision" ask yourself just how much would it cost to have the vehicle repaired by a proper repair centre and then ask if this is indeed higher than the cars actual value.
As I understand it, an economic write off it means the insurance company feel the repairs outweigh the value. Obviously it all depends on the age of the car/damage done. and you do not have to accept it as write off, and there is a way you can keep it as 'salvage' and repair it yourself, - get the company to settle to you the value of the vehicle.
Motor insurance isn't anything I deal with, there are better and more qualified people here who can explain the system better than I, and I'm sure will be along soon.
Motor insurance isn't anything I deal with, there are better and more qualified people here who can explain the system better than I, and I'm sure will be along soon.
State to the insurance company that you would like to keep the vehicle even if it is written off.
What will then likely happen is the insurance company will make you an offer for the vehicle say £2,000 and then say the scrap vaule is £200. They will then deduct the £200 from the amount and give you a cheque for £1800 plus the vehicle.
If the vehicle is classed as a Cat D write off, all you will need to do is re MoT the vehicle after to satisfy the insurance company that it is road worthy and the DVLA will not have to be told although you will have to disclose it when selling the car.
If it is classed as a CAT C the vehicle will need to have an engineer's report before the insurers are likely to insure it again.
What will then likely happen is the insurance company will make you an offer for the vehicle say £2,000 and then say the scrap vaule is £200. They will then deduct the £200 from the amount and give you a cheque for £1800 plus the vehicle.
If the vehicle is classed as a Cat D write off, all you will need to do is re MoT the vehicle after to satisfy the insurance company that it is road worthy and the DVLA will not have to be told although you will have to disclose it when selling the car.
If it is classed as a CAT C the vehicle will need to have an engineer's report before the insurers are likely to insure it again.
Thank you all for the feedback and information so far.
Still awaiting further news from my own insurer. However the other drivers insurance have now been in touch several times hinting that it would be faster and easier for me to have them deal with the claim. The make the, valid, point that if they handle the accident I will not have to pursue the excess payment.
I am tempted to listen to them as at least they have been in regular contact!
Still awaiting further news from my own insurer. However the other drivers insurance have now been in touch several times hinting that it would be faster and easier for me to have them deal with the claim. The make the, valid, point that if they handle the accident I will not have to pursue the excess payment.
I am tempted to listen to them as at least they have been in regular contact!
B4rker said:
State to the insurance company that you would like to keep the vehicle even if it is written off.
What will then likely happen is the insurance company will make you an offer for the vehicle say £2,000 and then say the scrap vaule is £200. They will then deduct the £200 from the amount and give you a cheque for £1800 plus the vehicle.
If the vehicle is classed as a Cat D write off, all you will need to do is re MoT the vehicle after to satisfy the insurance company that it is road worthy and the DVLA will not have to be told although you will have to disclose it when selling the car.
If it is classed as a CAT C the vehicle will need to have an engineer's report before the insurers are likely to insure it again.
Not true, if it is Cat C it will need a VIC test which is just an identity test. Not all insurance Cos need engineers reports. And you only need to disclose if asked.What will then likely happen is the insurance company will make you an offer for the vehicle say £2,000 and then say the scrap vaule is £200. They will then deduct the £200 from the amount and give you a cheque for £1800 plus the vehicle.
If the vehicle is classed as a Cat D write off, all you will need to do is re MoT the vehicle after to satisfy the insurance company that it is road worthy and the DVLA will not have to be told although you will have to disclose it when selling the car.
If it is classed as a CAT C the vehicle will need to have an engineer's report before the insurers are likely to insure it again.
I always prefer to go direct to the TP insurer when liability is admitted.
They tend to bend over backwards to help you to minimise the risk of you going to someone like accident exchange.
Get a bodyshop to do a repair estimate on the car yourself, and if it is worthwhile doing get the TP insurance to agree to pay the repairs.
They tend to bend over backwards to help you to minimise the risk of you going to someone like accident exchange.
Get a bodyshop to do a repair estimate on the car yourself, and if it is worthwhile doing get the TP insurance to agree to pay the repairs.
Again some good stuff mixed in with some bizarre comments.
You do not have the absolute right to force any insurer to repair your vehicle.
To keep Zeeky happy, the below is a statement of the norm in the market. There will be some slight differences between insurers, but these are not significant and won;t alter the below much.
A vehicle is considered a write off where the cost of repair is greater than 60% of the pre-accident value. This is because the insurer pays you out, takes ownership of your car and sells the salvage for c40% of the pre accident value, hence the 60% figure.
Whether a vehicle is written off or not is solely at the discretion of the insurer. You don't really have a say on this.
However, given you are the innocent victim of another driver's negligence (based on your OP) then the other drivers insurers may be more sympathetic to your plight. This will depend on the severity of damage, the ease of sourcing parts to repair your car and the pre-accident value. If the cost of repair is just over the 6-% then they may be willing to discuss it; if it's higher then there's no chance. Categoridation of write offs (google it) also complicates this as a Cat A or B will not be allowed to return to the road and you will not be able to retian salvage.
Some will now post about how they did XYZ and forced ABC to happen, please take this with a pinch of salt. Ditto with any comments around the FOS, they'll tell you to exhaust the complaints process, will probabyl take 9 months to rule on it anyway and if the figure is well in exces of 60% then will not rule in your favour.
You do not have the absolute right to force any insurer to repair your vehicle.
To keep Zeeky happy, the below is a statement of the norm in the market. There will be some slight differences between insurers, but these are not significant and won;t alter the below much.
A vehicle is considered a write off where the cost of repair is greater than 60% of the pre-accident value. This is because the insurer pays you out, takes ownership of your car and sells the salvage for c40% of the pre accident value, hence the 60% figure.
Whether a vehicle is written off or not is solely at the discretion of the insurer. You don't really have a say on this.
However, given you are the innocent victim of another driver's negligence (based on your OP) then the other drivers insurers may be more sympathetic to your plight. This will depend on the severity of damage, the ease of sourcing parts to repair your car and the pre-accident value. If the cost of repair is just over the 6-% then they may be willing to discuss it; if it's higher then there's no chance. Categoridation of write offs (google it) also complicates this as a Cat A or B will not be allowed to return to the road and you will not be able to retian salvage.
Some will now post about how they did XYZ and forced ABC to happen, please take this with a pinch of salt. Ditto with any comments around the FOS, they'll tell you to exhaust the complaints process, will probabyl take 9 months to rule on it anyway and if the figure is well in exces of 60% then will not rule in your favour.
Depending on the level of damage could end up as Cat-D not Cat-C, which if memory serves means no structural damage just uneconomic to repair.
If it's an old, 'cheap' weekend toy, then a handful of panel repairs/resprays could easily reach £3k at approved repair rates. Apply the 60%/70% rule (60% of market value, in case the repairs throw up additional problems, etc...) and a £4k car can be written off for a cosmetic accident.
Your call here depends on how cheaply you can get it repaired though - they'll give you market value, then sell the unrepaired car back to you, which as Cat-D/C will be worth notably less than market value. It'll also be more difficult to sell on...
If it's an old, 'cheap' weekend toy, then a handful of panel repairs/resprays could easily reach £3k at approved repair rates. Apply the 60%/70% rule (60% of market value, in case the repairs throw up additional problems, etc...) and a £4k car can be written off for a cosmetic accident.
Your call here depends on how cheaply you can get it repaired though - they'll give you market value, then sell the unrepaired car back to you, which as Cat-D/C will be worth notably less than market value. It'll also be more difficult to sell on...
When I stuck my 8 year old Saab in a ditch and did fairly significant front end damage, I got it recovered to my Saab Indy Garage and they did a deal with the insurer to repair it on the basis of a contract repair - as I understand it, the loss adjuster came out to them, they did a deal and they were given a sum of money to repair it - they did that using second hand bits where that helped. The value of the car was c.£2.5k and the repairs were a fairly large amount of that I suspect. The car wasn't written off at any point so it didn't appear as a Cat C or similar.
I came very close to it going to an approved repairer and knowing more about the system now I have no doubt that it would have been written off as the approved repairer would have quoted new prices for every bolt and nut and it would have been fairly close to the value of the car.
Is it at an approved repairer? Do you have a decent garage who could give you some advice?
I came very close to it going to an approved repairer and knowing more about the system now I have no doubt that it would have been written off as the approved repairer would have quoted new prices for every bolt and nut and it would have been fairly close to the value of the car.
Is it at an approved repairer? Do you have a decent garage who could give you some advice?
havoc said:
Depending on the level of damage could end up as Cat-D not Cat-C, which if memory serves means no structural damage just uneconomic to repair.
Cat C doesn't mean structural damage either. A car could be cat C if it was keyed, and the value was low enough (not that you would claim on a vehicle worth very little).jr502 said:
Cat C doesn't mean structural damage either. A car could be cat C if it was keyed, and the value was low enough (not that you would claim on a vehicle worth very little).
I'm sure old Primeras and Micras with the option of Chromaflair paint from the factory were cat C if they had a key ran along both sides, as you couldn't touch in the chromaflair paint, and a complete respray to factory standard was more than the value of the car.Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff