Insurance write off, can it still be driven

[zetec]

Apologies for the repost, origianlly posted on GG.


Friend of mine was recently (Tues) involved in a minor RTA, she was hit up the chuff at low speed. Damage was minimal(?), no serious injury and details were exchanged. It transpires the muppet that hit her gave a false address and phone number and the plates on the car didn't match the insurance database. Insurance co was contacted and she was told because of this she is liable to a £100 excess. Car was taken to a nearby garage, where it was deemed to be a write off, she is currently waiting to hear from insurance company. I am unsure of full damage as we haven't had a chance to chat properly. The car allthough old is a fantastic runner and by all accounts a great car, she is upset that she may have to lose the car. Can a car that has been deemed a write off still be used on the roads? It has a valid MOT certificate for another 6months IIRC and it is still driveable. I was hoping that there may be someone here in 'the know' so I can advise her of whats the best plan of action.

Thank you in anticipation.

[J1mmyD]

A vehicle is legal to drive if it has a valid MOT, tax and insurance.

However, a vehicle can be stopped and held if it has a fault that will affect safety - someone tell me the right term (I know a commercial vehicle the prohibition is a GV9, I think a private vehicle is a PV9).

In addition, if the insurance company has written off the vehicle, then the insurance certificate on that vehicle is now voided.

So, sorry, mate. But you'd be driving without insurance as well as with a fault that's likely to get you a prohibition and big fine (you may be arrested, but more likely informed to get a recovery truck).

I'm sure I'm not alone on here saying that those who drive without valid (and IMHO comprehensive) insurance are the worst type of scum on the road.

Not you, obviously, though .... because you wouldn't do that - right?

[vipers]

Is it only a write off because the cost of the repair, albeit looks minimal to you, is unaceptable to the insurance broker, I think you said it was an old car, ie value of car doesnt warrant cost of repair?


>> Edited by vipers on Thursday 16th February 16:26

[bimsb6]

your friends insurance is only void once they have paid out the claim so until then it is still covered .

[omegac]

zetec said:

Can a car that has been deemed a write off still be used on the roads?

Yes...There will be a marker placed on the PNC to say it has been written off, but it can still legally be used.

[Rob_the_Sparky]

Isn't it annoying that older cars with only very minor damage get a mark on the PNC? On a newer car it would be repaired and never recorded so why should it be a black mark to have the same damage on an older car?

Grrrrr

[gilbertd]

I think the garage have made things seem worse by using the term 'write off' when what they actually mean is that it is, or may be, beyond economic repair. My partner used to have a Porsche 924 which was hit by another driver. The damage was to the front bumper and wing but the car was still perfectly drivable. As she was a bit shaken up, she allowed the car to be recovered to the repairers. I called in the following day to collect some things out of it and found the accessor was there. His comment was, "'82 Porsche, new wing £500, new bumper probably the same, plus labour, they'll not go for it". The insurance company actually allowed her to keep the car and paid out what they considered it was worth before the damage less a couple of hundred for the salvage. At that point her existing insurance was no longer valid as they had paid out on the car but it could be insured again and still used. In your case, it is exactly the same, unless there is damage that makes the car unroadworthy, it is perfectly OK to carry on using it until the insurers make a decision one way or another.

My partners car was an economic write off because the cost of repair was greater than the value of the car but it wasn't a write off that was logged with DVLA as the damage was so minor. All it took was a second hand front wing and a bit of fibreglass resin on the bumper.

[alfa dailey]

My Brother has suffered a similar fate. His Fiat Bravo has been deemed a 'write off' because its beyond economic repair (they claim). He really likes the car and would wants to get it repaired, so is in the process of arguing that it will cost the ins co more to pay out for full value than repair. But if they agree to repair does the car remain as a right off status on any insurance databases that could affect it re-sale value, if so there seems little point in repairing?

Any advice appreciated thanks. This is not meant to be a thread hijack as it seemed a similar situation to the original poster.

[oldie]

Have a look at this -

www.direct.gov.uk/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/ChangesToYourRegistrationCertificate/ChangingDetailsArticles/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4022057&chk=jkawiV



More by doing a google search on insurance write off

>> Edited by oldie on Thursday 16th February 21:13

[zetec]

Thanks for all the advice

I'll be able to chat with her tomorrow and will get a better idea of what the damage is. Yes it is an old car and I am presuming that the garage simply reckon that it is uneconomical to repair. However, would it need repairing at all? If the damage (as I am led to believe) is only cosmetic (panel damage, bumps and scrapes etc) should there be a problem with just carrying on as if nothing has happened??

ETA. Could any plod advise on any possible action with regards the muppet who appears to have given false details??

>> Edited by zetec on Thursday 16th February 22:42

[Cooperman]

My niece had a Mini 1000 which was scraped by a truck whilst parked outside her house. The insurer deemed it 'beyond economical repair' and payed her out £700. The truck's insurers paid, so no loss of NCD. She bought it straight back for £50 and I repaired it for a total cost of £250 (bumper, paint and a door skin, plus a bit of filler). She re-insured it with another company. The V5 was never stamped and her profit was £400. She even bought me a nice bottle of Canadian Club for doing the work as well.
A real result!

[jap-car]

Sorry to raise this thread again but I have a related question and also some experience. Due to running older cars which are generally uneconomical for an insurance company to repair, I have previously been left with a number of write-offs, all of which I have put back on the road. One I repaired and the others I just drove as they were (cosmetic damage).

The case described in the original post sounds as though it will be Category D write-off in which case it can continue being driven unrepaired (if roadworthy). However, for Cat C (more serious damage but still repairable), the law changed around a couple of years ago such that the car now requires an inspection before being returned to the road. The aim of this inspection is to confirm the identity of the repaired car (i.e. it's not a ringer). For this inspection, repairs must be "substantially" complete (for obvious reasons). My question is, can I repair a Cat C car to a sufficient state to pass an MOT (ie roadworthy) but still be severely cosmetically damaged (e.g. maybe the rear quarter panel is badly smacked) or would this fail to pass the new test?