Car able to be written off - even if I don't Claim?
Discussion
My car was damaged by a dead-fall branch while parked under a tree on holiday. The roof is lightly dented across the whole width and the sun-roof now doesn't open (the main dent is just behind it and interrupts its movement). The car is otherwise fine and the roof is still sealing against water, so the car is still fully usable.
A body-shop I trust recommended that the roof panel be replaced and that it would likely be £2-2.5K. If so I would have to claim on my insurance, as I can't afford that. As the car is only worth around £3K I phoned my Ins. Co. today and made it clear that I only wanted to find out whether is would be a repair or a write-off, before I decided whether to make a claim. They asked me to take it to an approved repair centre to assess the damage, but something they then said seems a bit strange.
Basically they said that if the cost of repair was deemed too expensive from this assessment, then they would have to record it as a total loss - even if I decide not to claim! This seems barking to me; basically it's just cosmetic damage and in no way an MOT fail. Can anyone confirm whether this is the case? The person dealing with me was a bit unsure on a few other things, so it may be an error.
If so, then it looks like I could be forced to re-MOT a fully road-worthy car, which will also then have a Cat 'D' (I assume) marker against it, yet at no time would I have actually made a claim.
A body-shop I trust recommended that the roof panel be replaced and that it would likely be £2-2.5K. If so I would have to claim on my insurance, as I can't afford that. As the car is only worth around £3K I phoned my Ins. Co. today and made it clear that I only wanted to find out whether is would be a repair or a write-off, before I decided whether to make a claim. They asked me to take it to an approved repair centre to assess the damage, but something they then said seems a bit strange.
Basically they said that if the cost of repair was deemed too expensive from this assessment, then they would have to record it as a total loss - even if I decide not to claim! This seems barking to me; basically it's just cosmetic damage and in no way an MOT fail. Can anyone confirm whether this is the case? The person dealing with me was a bit unsure on a few other things, so it may be an error.
If so, then it looks like I could be forced to re-MOT a fully road-worthy car, which will also then have a Cat 'D' (I assume) marker against it, yet at no time would I have actually made a claim.
Your insurance will now show you have been involved in an incident anyway l,so you will have to declare that for the next few years.
If the car is only worth 3k then it's a write off,you know that anyway as you have spoken to your bodyshop.
So what do you want?
Either fix it yourself or have it written off and see if you can buy back as a cat c or d.
If the car is only worth 3k then it's a write off,you know that anyway as you have spoken to your bodyshop.
So what do you want?
Either fix it yourself or have it written off and see if you can buy back as a cat c or d.
TPS said:
Your insurance will now show you have been involved in an incident anyway l,so you will have to declare that for the next few years.
If the car is only worth 3k then it's a write off,you know that anyway as you have spoken to your bodyshop.
So what do you want?
Either fix it yourself or have it written off and see if you can buy back as a cat c or d.
The £2.5K was a ball-park figure from a body-shop, so the Ins. Coy's assessment of the cost may differ. Also I don't know what their threshold is for write-off. Therefore I want to find out, for definite from my insurer, whether it is a write-off, or repairable.If the car is only worth 3k then it's a write off,you know that anyway as you have spoken to your bodyshop.
So what do you want?
Either fix it yourself or have it written off and see if you can buy back as a cat c or d.
I can then make the decision to either not claim and fix it myself, or claim and repair - either by allowing the Ins. Coy to repair it or write it off and then buy it back.
The car being put on the register just because I want to clarify the position seems a bit pre-emptive.
Rick101 said:
Why don't people ever learn.
Don't inform your insurance company about an incident unless you want them to deal with it.
Just think before you act! You should now be declaring this 'loss' until 2019!!!!
The point is that until I find out what the options are I can't make a decision in the first place. Don't inform your insurance company about an incident unless you want them to deal with it.
Just think before you act! You should now be declaring this 'loss' until 2019!!!!
In the end I will probably make a claim (in answer to your second sentence), but my specific question is whether or not just getting the car assessed could see it entered on the register - not whether I should/not have gone to the insurer in the first place.
Edited by Mike_Mac on Monday 11th August 15:57
Mike_Mac said:
The point is that until I find out what the options are I can't make a decision in the first place.
In the end I will probably make a claim (in answer to your second sentence), but my specific question is whether or not just getting the car assessed could see it entered on the register - not whether I should/not have gone to the insurer in the first place.
I had a similar issue in 2010. I had damaged the front ns wing and rear quarter. Car was drivable with no MOT failure inducing features. In deciding what to do I foolishly contacted the insurance company saying I didn't know whether to claim or not. They said get an assessment from their approved local body shop and the next thing I knew letter arrived stating it was a write off. I had to then have it re-MOT'd before they would re-instate insurance at increased cost!. Moral, only ever contact insurers a) When a third party is involved or b) You already know that repair will be uneconomic for you, using parts and labour that you can source. In the end I will probably make a claim (in answer to your second sentence), but my specific question is whether or not just getting the car assessed could see it entered on the register - not whether I should/not have gone to the insurer in the first place.
Edited by Mike_Mac on Monday 11th August 15:57
Trophybloo said:
Mike_Mac said:
The point is that until I find out what the options are I can't make a decision in the first place.
In the end I will probably make a claim (in answer to your second sentence), but my specific question is whether or not just getting the car assessed could see it entered on the register - not whether I should/not have gone to the insurer in the first place.
I had a similar issue in 2010. I had damaged the front ns wing and rear quarter. Car was drivable with no MOT failure inducing features. In deciding what to do I foolishly contacted the insurance company saying I didn't know whether to claim or not. They said get an assessment from their approved local body shop and the next thing I knew letter arrived stating it was a write off. I had to then have it re-MOT'd before they would re-instate insurance at increased cost!. Moral, only ever contact insurers a) When a third party is involved or b) You already know that repair will be uneconomic for you, using parts and labour that you can source. In the end I will probably make a claim (in answer to your second sentence), but my specific question is whether or not just getting the car assessed could see it entered on the register - not whether I should/not have gone to the insurer in the first place.
Edited by Mike_Mac on Monday 11th August 15:57
As I've said I'll probably be going down the Ins. route, as I don't want to leave it like it is, but it is a bit off that they can write it off even if you don't claim! Nice little earner!
ETA: Does anyone know if a declared 'incident' that doesn't result in a claim would result in less loading to your premium than an actual claim?
Edited by Mike_Mac on Monday 11th August 16:37
just take it to any body shop - ask them for an estimate, then decide based on the figure, explain what you want to achieve and they will assist you .
Ultimately a new roof is a lot of cutting, welding and respraying so will typically cost about the same as your car is worth (if its only worth £2-3k).
car cant be written off if you dont mention your insurer.
Ultimately a new roof is a lot of cutting, welding and respraying so will typically cost about the same as your car is worth (if its only worth £2-3k).
car cant be written off if you dont mention your insurer.
hman said:
Ultimately a new roof is a lot of cutting, welding and respraying so will typically cost about the same as your car is worth (if its only worth £2-3k).
Yes that is what the OP already told ushman said:
car cant be written off if you dont mention your insurer.
Obviously. But that's not what the OP asked.The insurer can't write your car off if you aren't claiming. Withdraw the claim and get your car back and that's that.
It will be a write off, this is one time where a thread on here could've saved you a lot of faffing about. A £3k car is likely to be a write off in pretty well most claims. Thresholds tend to be that repairs costing around 60% of the pre accident value will usually write it off.
It will be a write off, this is one time where a thread on here could've saved you a lot of faffing about. A £3k car is likely to be a write off in pretty well most claims. Thresholds tend to be that repairs costing around 60% of the pre accident value will usually write it off.
BertBert said:
hman said:
Ultimately a new roof is a lot of cutting, welding and respraying so will typically cost about the same as your car is worth (if its only worth £2-3k).
Yes that is what the OP already told ushman said:
car cant be written off if you dont mention your insurer.
Obviously. But that's not what the OP asked.Happened to me last year, was involved in an accident, my ins co asked if I wanted to claim for damages to my car, so I put it into one of their approved repair centres.
2 days later I get a call to tell me it's been declared a Cat C write off and even if I withdraw my claim for damages to my car it's now been marked as a Cat C.
The car was only cosmetically damaged but they stated that it had to be marked as a Cat C incase of structural damage.
2 days later I get a call to tell me it's been declared a Cat C write off and even if I withdraw my claim for damages to my car it's now been marked as a Cat C.
The car was only cosmetically damaged but they stated that it had to be marked as a Cat C incase of structural damage.
Mike_Mac said:
A body-shop I trust recommended that the roof panel be replaced and that it would likely be £2-2.5K. If so I would have to claim on my insurance, as I can't afford that. As the car is only worth around £3K I phoned my Ins. Co. today and made it clear that I only wanted to find out whether is would be a repair or a write-off, before I decided whether to make a claim.
Sorry to be blunt, but what were you thinking? On those figures it was only ever going to be a w/o if a claim were to be made. As LoonR1 has said a post on here first (or 5 minutes max on Google) could have provided the answer you were seeking.LoonR1 said:
The insurer can't write your car off if you aren't claiming. Withdraw the claim and get your car back and that's that.
It will be a write off, this is one time where a thread on here could've saved you a lot of faffing about. A £3k car is likely to be a write off in pretty well most claims. Thresholds tend to be that repairs costing around 60% of the pre accident value will usually write it off.
It seems as though a few have either been misled by their insurers or have got the wrong end of the stick. It will be a write off, this is one time where a thread on here could've saved you a lot of faffing about. A £3k car is likely to be a write off in pretty well most claims. Thresholds tend to be that repairs costing around 60% of the pre accident value will usually write it off.
The answer above should end this one, OP.
Just want to check how far it's gone though. If the OP has said inspect, repair etc and then only when it's a write off did he change his mind then it does get trickier. The insurer will write it off and log it on MIAFTR as such.
If he dropped it off for an opinion and no more then he should be OK.
If he dropped it off for an opinion and no more then he should be OK.
hman said:
BertBert said:
hman said:
Ultimately a new roof is a lot of cutting, welding and respraying so will typically cost about the same as your car is worth (if its only worth £2-3k).
Yes that is what the OP already told ushman said:
car cant be written off if you dont mention your insurer.
Obviously. But that's not what the OP asked.
Edited by Mike_Mac on Tuesday 12th August 09:43
Mike_Mac said:
hman said:
BertBert said:
hman said:
Ultimately a new roof is a lot of cutting, welding and respraying so will typically cost about the same as your car is worth (if its only worth £2-3k).
Yes that is what the OP already told ushman said:
car cant be written off if you dont mention your insurer.
Obviously. But that's not what the OP asked.LoonR1 said:
The insurer can't write your car off if you aren't claiming. Withdraw the claim and get your car back and that's that. It will be a write off, this is one time where a thread on here could've saved you a lot of faffing about. A £3k car is likely to be a write off in pretty well most claims. Thresholds tend to be that repairs costing around 60% of the pre accident value will usually write it off.
Thanks Loon, and all the others who commented with useful advice - I've just withdrawn the 'claim' and will sort it out when I return from overseas in about 6 months! All I wanted was confirmation of where I stood, rather than just rely on my own 'estimates'. However, if the Coy then write it off regardless then there's no point.Red Devil said:
Mike_Mac said:
A body-shop I trust recommended that the roof panel be replaced and that it would likely be £2-2.5K. If so I would have to claim on my insurance, as I can't afford that. As the car is only worth around £3K I phoned my Ins. Co. today and made it clear that I only wanted to find out whether is would be a repair or a write-off, before I decided whether to make a claim.
Sorry to be blunt, but what were you thinking? On those figures it was only ever going to be a w/o if a claim were to be made. As LoonR1 has said a post on here first (or 5 minutes max on Google) could have provided the answer you were seeking.
In sum the bodyshop cautioned that their estimate was very ball-park and advised me to contact my insurer to see what their threshold was, so I could make an informed decision.
The range in values for my car was from around £3 - 3.5K (although I believe £3K is about right) and the repair estimate was £2 - 2.5K. Therefore, there was potential scope within those ranges for it to be repairable (admittedly only just) - depending on what the threshold was.
To be honest, as both you and Loon have said, I did think of posting here first, but was put off the idea because I was fully expecting a barrage of the usual off-topic, pedantic arguing that usually seems to bog-down most threads on here.
Thanks to those who've posted some useful advice and their own experiences
Edited by Mike_Mac on Tuesday 12th August 09:48
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