Cat b write off

[e600]

A company is offering a car via Autotrader advertising it as a cat b write off as a road going car. I thought cat b was parts only.

Can a cat b be put back on the road?

Tia

[GC8]

Yes, perfectly legally. It shouldn't be though, as someone somewhere has broken their agreement with the insurance company.

Btw: ignore anyone who copies and pastes category descriptions from the ABI website.

[GC8]

Personally, Id only even consider a CatB which has already been vehicle identity checked (VIC).

Youll be interested to know that I have seen cars with destruction orders which have been lightly damaged. A three year old Porsche comes to mind, which bad a damaged PU, bumper and badge panel and the PU would've repaired!

I have also seen slaughtered cars sold by insurance companies for repair, some even as CatDs after the classification system was introduced.

[ikarl]

GC8 is absolutely correct!

I used to have a very nice fiat turbo that was previously cat B. I dealt with the vic check etc myself - no problem......

anyone saying its impossible and quoting 'stuff' they've found online are wrong as GC8 has mentioned, been in a few silly arguments on here regarding it unfortunately

[tbc]

Oh that headlight looks salvageable

[Aretnap]

Indeed, write off categories are down to an agreement between insurance companies rather than the law, and legally you can put anything back on the road if you can spare the time and money to make it fully roadworthy again. I'd avoid it though unless you're confident that it's been repaired properly - and that you know how to tell.

[LoonR1]

Your main problem will be getting insurance on it though. Most will not cover a Cat B or they will if you lie, but good luck when / if it comes to claiming.

[e600]

LoonR1 said:

Your main problem will be getting insurance on it though. Most will not cover a Cat B or they will if you lie, but good luck when / if it comes to claiming.

Why would insurance companies view a cat b repaired,vic inspected car any differently to one that isn't in such a category?

[LoonR1]

e600 said:

Why would insurance companies view a cat b repaired,vic inspected car any differently to one that isn't in such a category?

Because as far as they're concerned Cat BS shouldn't be returned to the road and all of them signed up to the code of conduct and have contracts in place with their salvage agents to prevent them returning to the road. If one slips the net then they aren't too keen to insure it. Simple as that. How would they value it in another write off situation?

They can choose who to do business with and wouldn't want that. Swiftcover won't insure any previously written off car no matter what category it was.

[tr7v8]

LoonR1 said:

Your main problem will be getting insurance on it though. Most will not cover a Cat B or they will if you lie, but good luck when / if it comes to claiming.

Very few companies ask the question from my experience

[LoonR1]

tr7v8 said:

LoonR1 said:

Your main problem will be getting insurance on it though. Most will not cover a Cat B or they will if you lie, but good luck when / if it comes to claiming.

Very few companies ask the question from my experience

Most do if you look at the T&Cs, especially the ones that everyone clicks the box to say they have, when they haven't on price comparison sites.

[SMcP114]

LoonR1 said:

tr7v8 said:

LoonR1 said:

Your main problem will be getting insurance on it though. Most will not cover a Cat B or they will if you lie, but good luck when / if it comes to claiming.

Very few companies ask the question from my experience

Most do if you look at the T&Cs, especially the ones that everyone clicks the box to say they have, when they haven't on price comparison sites.

What about 99% of people who have no interest in cars and wouldn't even know what a HPI check is, are they not paid out if they're found to be driving a damaged car and haven't declared it?

[ging84]

LoonR1 said:

tr7v8 said:

LoonR1 said:

Your main problem will be getting insurance on it though. Most will not cover a Cat B or they will if you lie, but good luck when / if it comes to claiming.

Very few companies ask the question from my experience

Most do if you look at the T&Cs, especially the ones that everyone clicks the box to say they have, when they haven't on price comparison sites.

As you well know a question tucked away in the T&Cs not directly asked means bugger all, particularly with the new rules

[dacouch]

SMcP114 said:

What about 99% of people who have no interest in cars and wouldn't even know what a HPI check is, are they not paid out if they're found to be driving a damaged car and haven't declared it?

Assuming the Insurer does not stipulate they don't cover previously written off cars (There are plenty who don't ask / state they have a problem with them)and also assuming you were not aware the car was previously written off, you paid the normal market rate for the car and the repairs were not obviously noticable the Insurer should ten pay out the normal (Not reduced for being previously written off) value of the car.

[dingg]

I have direct experience of having bought a cat c car and subsequently having it written off yet again,

I knew the car was a cat c when I bought it, I didn't inform my insurer , I was called by a loss adjuster and told we can only pay you trade in value as it was a previous cat c , and asked if I knew it was a cat c .

All went well I got more than_ I paid for the car.

I think they would have tried to wriggle out of paying anything for previous cat b car (gut feeling)

[Aretnap]

Financial Ombudsman on previously written off vehicles

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications...

Financial Ombudsman said:

The fact a vehicle has been previously "written off" can put off potential buyers, no matter how well it was later repaired. This can affect its value.

If the consumer knew they were buying a repaired write-off, they are likely to have paid less for it. In these cases, we may decide it is fair for the insurer to make an appropriate deduction – generally not more than 20% unless the insurer can provide evidence to warrant a higher deduction.

But a consumer who unknowingly bought and insured a previously written-off vehicle is likely to have paid full price for it – and a full insurance premium. If we think it is likely the consumer did not know the vehicle’s history – and the repairs were not obviously noticeable – we are unlikely to agree that the insurer should pay less than the full market value.

Of course if you're going to lie about knowing that it had been written off in order to get a higher payout (a gain for yourself, as some might put it), then admit to lying on a public forum, more fool you.

[dingg]

Not sure if the above post is a dig at me?

but to be clear I never claimed any extra from the insurance company , they gave me trade in value for the vehicle which I was happy with - the MORE THAN was underscored to illustate who the insurer was , there is no onus on a car owner to inform the insurance company who take the business of insuring it that it has been previously written off.

Edited by dingg on Tuesday 4th February 17:52

[Aretnap]

dingg said:

Not sure if the above post is a dig at me?

but to be clear I never claimed any extra from the insurance company , they gave me trade in value for the vehicle which I was happy with - the MORE THAN was underscored to illustate who the insurer was , there is no onus on a car owner to inform the insurance company who take the business of insuring it that it has been previously written off.

Sorry for the implication. I see I read a more into "they asked if I knew it was a cat c... (and) awent well" than was really there. If you answered that question truthfully when asked then there's no problem.

[dingg]

Yes - they asked did you know it was cat c when you purchased it

my answer - yes it had been flooded and all it needed was an airbag sensor