CAT B write-off, back on road?

[Ahlee]

A family member has a really good running car which they purchased as a previous cat-c. Recently someone crashed into them, and has just damaged the doors that can be fixed, however they have registered their car as CAT B and have paid them out for it. The car is really easily fixed, but their excuse was that it's a cat C before and it's now damaged twice it's become a CAT B?

I'm reading it's still possible to get the cat b car back on road but unlikely any insurer will insure the vehicle? or does insurance not check?

What can be done?

[sixor8]

From whatcar:

Cat B: "These cars are still very badly damaged, and are again beyond repair. However, their parts can be salvaged and recycled if they're still in a repairable condition."

The RAC define it a step further:

Cat B: "Body shell should be crushed. Signifies extensive damage, although some parts are salvageable. Should never re-appear on road, although reclaimed parts can be used in other road-going vehicles."

There may be an appeal procedure available, but if it stays cat B, it cannot go on the road again. Track cars may have different rules?

[Ahlee]

by the looks of it, that is only a insurance guideline and not a legal one. apparently you can get it fixed, MOT and VIC check? then be able to drive it again

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=15...

[mcflurry]

Ahlee said:

What can be done?

This one has been crashed twice, who knows if anything structural has been damaged out of sight.
Take the money and buy another car..

[J4CKO]

mcflurry said:

Ahlee said:

What can be done?

This one has been crashed twice, who knows if anything structural has been damaged out of sight.
Take the money and buy another car..

Thats why you get it inspected, plenty of cars have more than one accident in their lives, some quite big ones and never get a marker as the value is assessed as more than the repairs. My brother in law had a Cavalier that got hit on the drivers side, repaired, then the passenger side and it was repaired both time, then he went into the back of somebody and that finished it off.

Doesnt sound like the damage was excessive, not sure what would be damaged "out of sight", that just makes is sound complicated and sinister and generally it isnt, damage is generally localized to the area it is hit and what usually writes a car off is whether obvious stuff like the roof being kinked or doors not shutting happens.

[anonymous-user]

Ahlee said:

by the looks of it, that is only a insurance guideline and not a legal one. apparently you can get it fixed, MOT and VIC check? then be able to drive it again

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=15...

the are laws that cover it, just as needing a licence to buy and sell cat b cars. You could get an official assessor to asses it.

[Countdown]

Ahlee said:

A family member has a really good running car which they purchased as a previous cat-c. Recently someone crashed into them, and has just damaged the doors that can be fixed, however they have registered their car as CAT B and have paid them out for it. The car is really easily fixed, but their excuse was that it's a cat C before and it's now damaged twice it's become a CAT B?

I'm reading it's still possible to get the cat b car back on road but unlikely any insurer will insure the vehicle? or does insurance not check?

What can be done?

It's not a Cat B because it's a Cat C that's been in an accident again. It's a Cat B because the latest accident has probably exacerbated the damage from the previous [Cat C] accident. You could repair it and put it back on the road but (IMHO) the resale value would be Nil and you might even struggle to get car insurance.

[robwilk]

The Spruce Goose said:

Ahlee said:

by the looks of it, that is only a insurance guideline and not a legal one. apparently you can get it fixed, MOT and VIC check? then be able to drive it again

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=15...

the are laws that cover it, just as needing a licence to buy and sell cat b cars. You could get an official assessor to asses it.

I this this is the case , my van has just been written off and the salvage assessor said he thought it was a B but as i had expressed and interest in buying it he could make it a S so that i could keep it. Thought it was best to let it go so its gone to Copart for disposal. So i dont think the public are allowed to buy a cat B write off.

[Auto810graphy]

We ran a Cat B Citroen C1 for several years but we were the registered keeper when it was written off and did not surrender the V5 so we kept taxing and MOT testing as normal.

The problems come when you try to change keeper as our understanding was DVLA would not issue a new V5 for the car.

If you are still the keeper you can probably do what we did, you will have to advise insurers (our is a blanket trade policy so it covers everything in any condition).

[keo]

When I turned my VX220 into a cat b many years ago the insurance said I couldn’t put it back on the road.

[QBee]

keo said:

When I turned my VX220 into a cat b many years ago the insurance said I couldn’t put it back on the road.

Did you turn it into a track day car?

[keo]

QBee said:

Did you turn it into a track day car?

No got my pay out and got another car.

[Smiljan]

I'd agree with the above, Cat B it's toast and you can't put it back on the road.

A Cannot be repaired Entire vehicle has to be crushed
B Cannot be repaired Body shell has to be crushed, but you can salvage other parts from it
C Can be repaired, but it would cost more than the vehicle’s worth You can use the vehicle again if it’s repaired to a roadworthy condition
D Can be repaired and would cost less than the vehicle’s worth, but other costs (such as transporting your vehicle) take it over the vehicle’s value You can use the vehicle again if it’s repaired to a roadworthy condition
N Can be repaired following non-structural damage You can use the vehicle again if it’s repaired to a roadworthy condition
S Can be repaired following structural damage You can use the vehicle again if it’s repaired to a roadworthy condition

[anonymous-user]

Auto810graphy said:

We ran a Cat B Citroen C1 for several years but we were the registered keeper when it was written off and did not surrender the V5 so we kept taxing and MOT testing as normal.

The problems come when you try to change keeper as our understanding was DVLA would not issue a new V5 for the car.

If you are still the keeper you can probably do what we did, you will have to advise insurers (our is a blanket trade policy so it covers everything in any condition).

there was nothing in your trade policy about not driving cat b cars?

[robwilk]

Want to buy Category B's for parts, but don't have the required licences?

Then BreakerBid4U is the answer.

BreakerBid4U is Copart’s dedicated CAT B buying and breaking service for members without the necessary licences to buy directly in the auction themselves.

The service allows you to bid on CAT B vehicles in our auctions and if you win; you visit one of our six breaking facilities to break the vehicle and take the parts you need.

Just found this on Copart seems you need a licence to buy a cat B

[Krikkit]

sixor8 said:

From whatcar:

Cat B: "These cars are still very badly damaged, and are again beyond repair. However, their parts can be salvaged and recycled if they're still in a repairable condition."

The RAC define it a step further:

Cat B: "Body shell should be crushed. Signifies extensive damage, although some parts are salvageable. Should never re-appear on road, although reclaimed parts can be used in other road-going vehicles."

There may be an appeal procedure available, but if it stays cat B, it cannot go on the road again. Track cars may have different rules?

Both just quote the ABI guidelines which aren't actually a legal requirement, but most companies including breakers like CoPart will enforce to stop Cat B getting back out into the public's hands. PDF of them here

Cat B means it was damaged and would cost over 200% of the pre-accident value to fix (which being a Cat.C beforehand will significantly reduce their value meter)

Nothing about a Cat.B means you can't have it on the road again, IF you can get it back off the insurance company.

The codes are drawn up with newer and more valuable vehicles in mind, cheap cars will often be easily repairable with 2nd hand parts but be a Cat B as the new-parts repair with paint etc will be a fortune.

Edited by Krikkit on Tuesday 23 February 12:23

[anonymous-user]

Krikkit said:

Both just quote the ABI guidelines which aren't actually a legal requirement, b

if there isn't a legal requirement then why do cat b breakers need a licence?

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 23 February 15:25

[gizlaroc]

Krikkit said:

Nothing about a Cat.B means you can't have it on the road again, IF you can get it back off the insurance company.

That used to be the case but not any more.

There is no V5, the minute it is a Cat B it becomes null and void.

Without a V5 you can't get an MOT or Tax it.

Without an MOT or Tax you can't put it on the road.


Cat B must not be put back on the road.


The only time this might not be the case is if the insurer forgets to tell the DVLA and the V5 stays in circulation.
When you come to sell it though the next owner will be told that it is a Cat B and a new V5 can not be issued and the car can not be put on the road.

[Jami1]

Hi can i get v5 log book for a cat B ?

[imagineifyeswill]

As gizarloc said, the problem nowadays and for about 5 years now is that DVLA will not issue a V5 for Cat B vehicles. Before that it was possible to put a Cat B back on the road if you could get an insurance company to give you cover.