Advice on what makes a car a write off

[AddyT.]

Hi All,

My wife has had an accident this evening after some young oik was going too fast as she was pulling out of a junction and he went straight into her. We think the insurance company will say she's at fault for pulling out and the collision happened even though I know full well he was going too fast due to the road and where it is etc. Thankfully everyone is OK which is the main thing.

Nonetheless, does anyone know how insurers classify cars as write offs / repairable? It's a 2019 Golf R with less than 40k on the clock and the reason I ask is, it's a very rare specced car so there's absolutely no chance of finding another one like it. Gutted. If it was a sh*tbox we wouldn't care so much. Hence I am wondering if an insurer just looks at it and says nope, that's 100% written off and that's the end of it! I have read things before on PH and it seems like insurers are very quick to write a car off? It's worth somewhere around the £20k mark give or take. I am no mechanic but the impact was front right so not great and I am pretty sure the chassis' probably got bent at the front due to the positioning of how the drivers side alloy wheel is sitting.

Fairly sure people will say, don't even think about anything other than a write off but just wanted to ask in case there is hope that it might be fixed! I have got a picture of it here below to help - 99.9% sure you will say that's a goner!

[AddyT.]

Forgot to say, unsure of impact speed. All the airbags went off is all I can say.

[5lab]

The write-off threshold is effectively total cost of repair (including hire cars etc) - salvage value. Unfortunately for you I'd imagine a golf r has fairly strong salvage value (as it can be fixed up with mostly easy-to-find bits), so if it's worth £8k on copart you only need 12k of damage to be done

[Super Sonic]

AddyT. said:

Hi All,

My wife has had an accident this evening after some young oik was going too fast as she was pulling out of a junction and he went straight into her. We think the insurance company will say she's at fault for pulling out and the collision happened even though I know full well he was going too fast due to the road and where it is etc. Thankfully everyone is OK which is the main thing.

Nonetheless, does anyone know how insurers classify cars as write offs / repairable? It's a 2019 Golf R with less than 40k on the clock and the reason I ask is, it's a very rare specced car so there's absolutely no chance of finding another one like it. Gutted. If it was a sh*tbox we wouldn't care so much. Hence I am wondering if an insurer just looks at it and says nope, that's 100% written off and that's the end of it! I have read things before on PH and it seems like insurers are very quick to write a car off? It's worth somewhere around the £20k mark give or take. I am no mechanic but the impact was front right so not great and I am pretty sure the chassis' probably got bent at the front due to the positioning of how the drivers side alloy wheel is sitting.

Fairly sure people will say, don't even think about anything other than a write off but just wanted to ask in case there is hope that it might be fixed! I have got a picture of it here below to help - 99.9% sure you will say that's a goner!

It's down to the estimated cost of the repair, if it is above a certain percentage of the value of the car it is written off. The actual figure depends on the company.

[AddyT.]

Thank you ever so much that's very helpful indeed as I didn't know about the salvage value point. Pretty sure with VW repair prices it's going to cost more than £12k to fix it I did say to my wife I won't be surprised if someone repairs it and it's back up for sale as a CAT N or S! Maybe not though but it's a low mileage car with a really great spec.

[sherman]

The idusty works on the 60/40 rule.
If the repair is more than 60% of the value of the car then its written off.
If your insurance company is happy to use green parts for the repair you might be ok.
The only thing that could be a concern is if the frame rail is bent. If it is its written off.

[AddyT.]

Super Sonic said:

AddyT. said:

Hi All,

My wife has had an accident this evening after some young oik was going too fast as she was pulling out of a junction and he went straight into her. We think the insurance company will say she's at fault for pulling out and the collision happened even though I know full well he was going too fast due to the road and where it is etc. Thankfully everyone is OK which is the main thing.

Nonetheless, does anyone know how insurers classify cars as write offs / repairable? It's a 2019 Golf R with less than 40k on the clock and the reason I ask is, it's a very rare specced car so there's absolutely no chance of finding another one like it. Gutted. If it was a sh*tbox we wouldn't care so much. Hence I am wondering if an insurer just looks at it and says nope, that's 100% written off and that's the end of it! I have read things before on PH and it seems like insurers are very quick to write a car off? It's worth somewhere around the £20k mark give or take. I am no mechanic but the impact was front right so not great and I am pretty sure the chassis' probably got bent at the front due to the positioning of how the drivers side alloy wheel is sitting.

Fairly sure people will say, don't even think about anything other than a write off but just wanted to ask in case there is hope that it might be fixed! I have got a picture of it here below to help - 99.9% sure you will say that's a goner!

It's down to the estimated cost of the repair, if it is above a certain percentage of the value of the car it is written off. The actual figure depends on the company.

Thank you ever so much! I strongly suspect it's a write off. No idea who she is insured with at the moment but don't think that will probably make much difference as all must be around the same mark with this sort of thing unfortunately.

[Panamax]

That looks a clear case of a write-off to me, whether or not it'll get fixed in some back street garage.

Make sure you get that private plate sorted out before you lose it.

[AddyT.]

sherman said:

The idusty works on the 60/40 rule.
If the repair is more than 60% of the value of the car then its written off.
If your insurance company is happy to use green parts for the repair you might be ok.
The only thing that could be a concern is if the frame rail is bent. If it is its written off.

Thank you very much Sherman and I really appreciate it! Relaying this to my wife at the moment. She's at the hospital as her 91 year old grandmother was in the car with her. She's OK but had to go in for checks. Not a great situation. I was getting really annoyed inside watching his mates who had turned up taking his stuff out of his car and having a little smile about the items being removed. We were all young once of course and young lads don't do the best things. My wife was pretty chilled out with him and his mum (who turned up after the crash) but I was absolutely fuming inside. Apparently he did get a bit shirty initially about my wife pulling out etc but she told him all she had said was perhaps he was going a bit too fast. Best it was her this happened to than me!

[AddyT.]

Panamax said:

That looks a clear case of a write-off to me, whether or not it'll get fixed in some back street garage.

Make sure you get that private plate sorted out before you lose it.

Thank you Panamax and that's what I was thinking unfortunately. Great shout on the private plate - hers is similar to mine (my car is in the background) - so need to make sure we don't lose it. What do we need to do to ensure that doesn't happen?

[Kuwahara]

AddyT. said:

Thank you Panamax and that's what I was thinking unfortunately. Great shout on the private plate - hers is similar to mine (my car is in the background) - so need to make sure we don't lose it. What do we need to do to ensure that doesn't happen?

As soon as it is written off put it on retention,£80 I think..

[Sebring440]

AddyT. said:

My wife has had an accident this evening after some young oik was going too fast as she was pulling out of a junction and he went straight into her.

I'm surprised that no one has commented on this...?

[Opapayer]

Sebring440 said:

AddyT. said:

My wife has had an accident this evening after some young oik was going too fast as she was pulling out of a junction and he went straight into her.

I'm surprised that no one has commented on this...?

If he was going too fast then she must have seen him to make that assessment. Not a good idea to say that and claim not to be at fault, as pulling out would seem quite foolish.

Defo a write off

Edited by Opapayer on Saturday 9th May 23:27

[clive_candy]

Panamax said:

That looks a clear case of a write-off to me, whether or not it'll get fixed in some back street garage.

Make sure you get that private plate sorted out before you lose it.

Yep, Copart fodder if ever I've seen it.

[Nickp82]

I can’t see that being repaired by the insurers. The question I guess is do you and your wife REALLY want it back now? ie will it ever be the same car again if you know what I mean?

[Quantum State]

Sebring440 said:

AddyT. said:

My wife has had an accident this evening after some young oik was going too fast as she was pulling out of a junction and he went straight into her.

I'm surprised that no one has commented on this...?

Because it has nothing to do with the thread title…?

[AddyT.]

Opapayer said:

Sebring440 said:

AddyT. said:

My wife has had an accident this evening after some young oik was going too fast as she was pulling out of a junction and he went straight into her.

I'm surprised that no one has commented on this...?

If he was going too fast then she must have seen him to make that assessment. Not a good idea to say that and claim not to be at fault, as pulling out would seem quite foolish.

Defo a write off

Edited by Opapayer on Saturday 9th May 23:27

I understand where you are coming from but it's all down to the road in question and the layout. It's a B road in Suffolk in the countryside. Hard to explain without photos unfortunately and I can guarantee you pulling out where it is is not foolish. Further to my messages last night, there's no skid marks from the young chaps car attempting to stop. What we think has happened is when approaching my wife's car from the right, in that situation most of us would keep to the left and go behind my wife's car and avoid the crash. Unfortunately he did the opposite and steered into her car as if trying to go round the outside/front which was never going to happen. All occurred in a flash I am sure and I guess the fast reading of certain scenarios only comes with the more years and experience you have on the road. Not been great for my wife who was in hospital until the early hours last night and has not come out of it unscathed. Just really glad our young kids weren't in the car as well. Fair play to modern cars though - kept them safe in a high speed collision so really makes you appreciate it when you see it with your own eyes.

As for the car, have let my wife know all of your thoughts on it being a write off and we do agree and thank you everyone for commenting Having a quick look, there's absolutely no 7.5R's with that spec which was certainly to be expected. She will get another one once all the insurance stuff plays out but there will be several sacrifices to be made in what the car has but not to worry, that's just how it goes sometimes! Big shame mind.

[eskidavies]

do you mind me asking what the spec is ,just curious as i have a 7,5 R also

[edd1e]

Find out how much it is to retain the salvage (keep the car). If the car is worth £20k then they will probably let you keep it for £5k (25%) and pay you the remaining £15k (75%). Then you can decide if you want to repair with used parts or sell the car and make a profit on anything over the £5k.

I did this years 15 years ago, my payout value was £46k, I think I bought the car back for £12k. It’ll only go to copart if not and someone else will profit off it.

[AddyT.]

eskidavies said:

do you mind me asking what the spec is ,just curious as i have a 7,5 R also

Sure and apologies as it's not world beating! 19" Pretoria's, DCC, reversing camera, pan roof, Dynaudio sound system, high beam assist, winter pack, Oettinger spolier (not put on by us, the one previous owner), Discover Pro and was low miles. Bought last year, 2019 model with just 26k on the clock. So not amazing I know but was a lovely car IMO. It seems to be Dynaudio with pan roof is rare. Dynaudio alone on its own is hard to find! I have an 8.5 Clubsport and my HK is definitely massively inferior to the Dynaudio. Much better system all round. Depends if people like their music or not I guess.