CAT B write-off, back on road?

[SteveR1979]

Jami1 said:

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

No

[gizlaroc]

Jami1 said:

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

No, Cat B is to never be put back on the road, so they will not issue a log book, you will not be able to MOT it, you will not be able to tax it, and therefore your insurance will be invalid.


There is an exception, if the car was declared a Cat B, and a VIC test was done to allow it back on the road before October 26th 2015.

[saaby93]

Just to add to this it looks like Cat B is being used for flood damage vehicles because although the car looks ok , some other fault could develop down the road. Is that really an insurance issue though? Surely it's no different to driving through Rufford ford?

If the car is broken for parts, couldnt those parts give the same trouble?

[soxboy]

saaby93 said:

Just to add to this it looks like Cat B is being used for flood damage vehicles because although the car looks ok , some other fault could develop down the road. Is that really an insurance issue though? Surely it's no different to driving through Rufford ford?

If the car is broken for parts, couldnt those parts give the same trouble?

Flood damage are Cat B because they are regarded as biohazards. Flood water can sometimes carry risk of contamination from raw sewage.

[saaby93]

soxboy said:

saaby93 said:

Just to add to this it looks like Cat B is being used for flood damage vehicles because although the car looks ok , some other fault could develop down the road. Is that really an insurance issue though? Surely it's no different to driving through Rufford ford?

If the car is broken for parts, couldnt those parts give the same trouble?

Flood damage are Cat B because they are regarded as biohazards. Flood water can sometimes carry risk of contamination from raw sewage.

Sometimes - How many times? Does that apply to any car driven through any floodwater or a ford? Or just a puddle at the side of the road?

[Saleen836]

saaby93 said:

soxboy said:

saaby93 said:

Just to add to this it looks like Cat B is being used for flood damage vehicles because although the car looks ok , some other fault could develop down the road. Is that really an insurance issue though? Surely it's no different to driving through Rufford ford?

If the car is broken for parts, couldnt those parts give the same trouble?

Flood damage are Cat B because they are regarded as biohazards. Flood water can sometimes carry risk of contamination from raw sewage.

Sometimes - How many times? Does that apply to any car driven through any floodwater or a ford? Or just a puddle at the side of the road?

I would hazzard a guess it is a liability issue,if the insurance company allow it to be put back on the road after being written off in a flood they open themselves up to the possibility of a claim should a future owner become ill or worse and it was proven to be from contamination in the vehicle (just my best guess)

[S8QUATTRO]

So this Panamera is not the well priced example it seems? I thought it was cheap!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2013-PORSCHE-PANOMERA-3...

[waynecyclist]

S8QUATTRO said:

So this Panamera is not the well priced example it seems? I thought it was cheap!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2013-PORSCHE-PANOMERA-3...

Bargepole required for that one, how is it even on the road, surely once the logbook goes back it will not be reissued.

[Gtom]

It says something about the car if the best wheel to photo is the one with a massive gash in the sidewall.

[NinjaXP]

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).

my sincere apologies for raising this post from a few years ago but i am in a situation where i could use some support.

from what i have read, the write off categorisations are not legal but insurance guidelines.

my nisan micra which i have had since new as been made a cat b! i cannot fathom this since it was only minor front bumper damage and the wing mirror came off! copart are refusing to recategorise it.

i want to get the vehicle back which i believe i can force my insurers to do but I just want to understand that since i DO NOT intend on selling it, can i drive the vehicle by keeping my V5 but obviosuly ensuring MOT and road tax are held?

Thank you

[andymc]

Cat B can be put back on the road, it is a guideline and not law

[NinjaXP]

Thank you!!

[QuickQuack]

No, not anymore you can't!

https://www.gov.uk/scrapped-and-written-off-vehicl...

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/buying-...

1st gov.uk page said:

What you do next depends on which category your vehicle is in.
Category A Cannot be repaired Entire vehicle has to be crushed
Category B Cannot be repaired Body shell has to be crushed, but you can salvage other parts from it

2nd gov.uk page said:

The process of a vehicle being declared a total loss, commonly referred to as a ‘write off’, is widely misunderstood. Insurance total losses can be divided into 2 categories:

- an actual loss, where a vehicle cannot or should not be repaired (category A or B) – these will not be re-registered by DVLA
- a constructive loss, where the vehicle could be repaired but the cost of doing so would exceed the replacement value of the vehicle (category S or N)

A more detailed description of this process is laid out in the insurers’ code of practice on vehicle salvage. The code came into effect in October 2017, replacing a previous version.

Vehicles that are deemed an ‘actual loss’ should never be repaired and returned to the road. Even if they look like they have been repaired, the structural damage they have incurred makes them unsafe to drive.

Strictly speaking, it's a code of practice, not a guideline. For regulated industries and professions, deviations from codes of practice are legally enforceable. Hence, DVLA will not re-register the vehicle, you won't be able to MOT the car, tax it or insure it to drive it on the road. There's enough information to confirm that the previously available VIC inspection route no longer applies to cat B vehicles.

[Gary C]

soxboy said:

Flood damage are Cat B because they are regarded as biohazards. Flood water can sometimes carry risk of contamination from raw sewage.

Thats just fking stupid.

I mean the rule, not your post.

[QBee]

Gary C said:

soxboy said:

Flood damage are Cat B because they are regarded as biohazards. Flood water can sometimes carry risk of contamination from raw sewage.

Thats just fking stupid.

I mean the rule, not your post.

These days any open water in the UK is a biohazard, thanks to the appalling behaviour of our water companies.
They should be declared cat B and scrapped too.

[GeniusOfLove]

Gary C said:

soxboy said:

Flood damage are Cat B because they are regarded as biohazards. Flood water can sometimes carry risk of contamination from raw sewage.

Thats just fking stupid.

I mean the rule, not your post.

From experience a water damaged car can be fine for a bit and then start fking around a year or more down the line. The insurers probably can't be arsed with that so easier to just write them all off.

I buy any old ste, but even I avoid any car with a history of flood damage so I can see their point.

[Gary C]

GeniusOfLove said:

Gary C said:

soxboy said:

Flood damage are Cat B because they are regarded as biohazards. Flood water can sometimes carry risk of contamination from raw sewage.

Thats just fking stupid.

I mean the rule, not your post.

From experience a water damaged car can be fine for a bit and then start fking around a year or more down the line. The insurers probably can't be arsed with that so easier to just write them all off.

I buy any old ste, but even I avoid any car with a history of flood damage so I can see their point.

I can see that the damage may mean its repair is too much, but bio hazard FFS.

[rallycross]

Similar problem
How to get the insurer to agree it’s cat S not cat B?
Has anyone managed to do this, the claim is still being agreed so nothing final yet.
Insurer insisting on making this claim a cat B having sent detailed pics but should only be a cat S easily fixable by my bodyshop who have had a good look. Its not been looked at by their engineer as they sent a photographer instead who was not an engineer.

I've bought and fixed plenty of cat cars over the years and understand whats involved but cant fathom why they are declaring our car a cat B when it could easily be repaired (by a body shop not by me).


One of my customers cars had a bump a couple of weeks ago and it’s now at my yard waiting for his insurers to agree details on the claim.

It’s easily fixable just needs some panels and the near side chassis leg fixed on a jig.
We’ve sent all the pics and video to the insurer and they are insisting on making it a cat B which is very odd/ frustrating. My bodyshop guy has taken a proper look and said it’s a straight forward repair.
How do we get the insurance people to agree tp classify as cat S not cat B?

No airbags went off, it still drives we planned replacing everything bolt on with second hand panels
Plus a new front panel needs
Welding not bolt on.

Reason for wanting to keep
It is to use as track day car plus he’s owned it for 14 years and it’s low mileage for a type R hence makes sense to repair ( not financial sense if you were to use new panels)

Edited by rallycross on Tuesday 26th March 22:11

[rallycross]

NinjaXP said:

my sincere apologies for raising this post from a few years ago but i am in a situation where i could use some support.

from what i have read, the write off categorisations are not legal but insurance guidelines.

my nisan micra which i have had since new as been made a cat b! i cannot fathom this since it was only minor front bumper damage and the wing mirror came off! copart are refusing to recategorise it.

i want to get the vehicle back which i believe i can force my insurers to do but I just want to understand that since i DO NOT intend on selling it, can i drive the vehicle by keeping my V5 but obviosuly ensuring MOT and road tax are held?

Thank you

Do you have a pic of the damage, any airbags go off, still drivable?

[QBee]

My insurers wanted to scrap this:



That's a plastic bumper for those who don't know X Trail T30s.
Fixable with a kettle and a shove from behind the panel, then a re-spray of the bumper.
Or another one off Ebay and respray.

We never got as far as discussing cats.
When they offered me the Copart valuation, which is about 40% of the £2,500 market value, I simply declined to claim.

And I will not be using Aviva again, either personally or for our fleet of 10 company cars. Total premiums last year £11,000.
Two can play at that game.