Another car insurance / stolen car question

[aclivity]

Third question following the theft of my car keys earlier in the week ...

When I told the insurers about the theft (after the 20 minute grilling that made me feel as though I was in someway a criminal for being so foolish as to have a car key in the house and not having had it grafted into my hand as some kind of body adornment) they said that they wouldn't declare it a loss until it had been missing for 7 days.

What happens if the insurer declares it a total loss (is that the correc term?) on day 7, then it turns up on day 8 or 9? Does the fact that it has been so declared mean that if I get it back it will be recorded as a Category D write off? I know if it is recovered after the pay out has been made that this is the case, but I am assuming in the case where the payment is still processing, that I could get my car back with no adverse conditions applied?

[Tom H]

Even if you get the car back it will count (is an insured incident).

No claims bonus may not be predjuiced if the insurer doesn't pay out anything.

Which us unlikely as there will be storage and recovery charges (police or who ever will impose) and any assessor fees. However if you also pay these back and effectively put your insurer back in the financial position pre insured incident. All ok.

But yes should be disclosed to any future insurer if paid out or not.

Hope this helps although not the answer you wanted.

[KaraK]

IIRC from when a mate had his S3 stolen once they have declared the car a total loss and paid you for it it becomes the insurance's car so if it were found it would go to them. I would imagine that you would be able to buy it back off them (at an appropriate price) but it would still be recorded as Stolen/Recovered.

[dibblecorse]

You're doing we to have a policy with an insurer that will declare it a total loss in 7 days, most wait a minumum of a month for it to turn up.