Car was written off category B, but works fine!
Discussion
Krikkit said:
None of the categories are actually bound in law though - if your insurers would let you (there's the rub) you could use a Cat. A...
I'm not sure about that. If the correct process is adhered to (and I don't think it has in this thread) the insurance company informs the DVLA that Car X is a write off, and records the category of it. Someone applies for a new V5 (e.g. the new owner) and the DVLA goes 'No, that car cannot be used on the road'. From what you've just said, they can't do that - even though that's exactly what they do.EDIT I see it was clarified a couple of posts ago.
rallycross said:
If the car gets registered outside the UK it will live on, you could then re-register it back here and it will lose the cat marker.
That is categorically not true. The DVLA uses the VIN to determine the identity of a car. If you export a car, get new papers elsewhere, then try to reimport it, you will get a V5 (or not) with the original details the DVLA had recorded for that car; it won't have a new identity / clean record. I did this - exported a car in 2006, and got it back in 2013; even though the car had been registered abroad, the V5 came back to me with the original numberplate - and me as the owner since 2006 (even though I hadn't owned it for those 7 years abroad).I have a motorcycle that was recorded as a cat B, apparently when it was only a week or so old, only a couple of minor scuffs when I bought it (over 15 years ago), it only came to light a couple of years ago at insurance renewal time. I'd never hpi'd it as the seller showed me a receipt for when he'd bought it & the condition gave no clues. My current insurer has said that the value would be adjusted accordingly if it were ever a total loss, but won't elaborate on that. There's never been anything recorded on the V5C, I'll probably never sell it anyway & I can't find out why it was ever given the cat B.
master cool said:
Can anyone see any benefit in trying to get the insurer to change the category? Or could this open up a can of worms..
It won't happen - they've written it off based on set criteria, i.e. flood damage.You can get C/D (as were) or N/S changed to 'condition checked' - a company called Autolign does that following damage repair, for a hefty fee. But you're very much stuck with whatever classification they give you if it's A or B.
BFleming said:
That is categorically not true. The DVLA uses the VIN to determine the identity of a car. If you export a car, get new papers elsewhere, then try to reimport it, you will get a V5 (or not) with the original details the DVLA had recorded for that car; it won't have a new identity / clean record. I did this - exported a car in 2006, and got it back in 2013; even though the car had been registered abroad, the V5 came back to me with the original numberplate - and me as the owner since 2006 (even though I hadn't owned it for those 7 years abroad).
It comes back with the same identity and no cat marker, at least it does when done via Ireland.Your best option is to export it, as others have mentioned.
If you manage to miraculously get it back on the road, and manage to get it MOT'd when the reg will flag up as something, you'll still struggle to sell it in this country.
Sell it for export, make a tidy £15k profit and progress with your life would be my advice
If you manage to miraculously get it back on the road, and manage to get it MOT'd when the reg will flag up as something, you'll still struggle to sell it in this country.
Sell it for export, make a tidy £15k profit and progress with your life would be my advice
deggles said:
PAUL500 said:
As I said he has always been the legal owner, it is his to do what he wants with it.
Not if the insurance company paid out on it, they take ownership as part of the settlement.Had it happen to me that way, not a cat b but I was always the owner throughout.
I even continued to run the car for another couple of years without putting a spanner on it until the engine died.
Edited by PAUL500 on Tuesday 21st January 12:19
deggles said:
Top lurking, OP.
Either the insurance company has monumentally f
ked up here, or I'm calling custard on the whole thing. 
Why would they pay out on the car and then let the salvage go for £800?
I was very confused myself when I heard the price... I had to wait for a category to be assigned and was told the costs would be roughly:Either the insurance company has monumentally f
ked up here, or I'm calling custard on the whole thing. Why would they pay out on the car and then let the salvage go for £800?
£800 cat B
£4000 Cat S
£7000 Cat N
AndyC_123 said:
Your best option is to export it, as others have mentioned.
If you manage to miraculously get it back on the road, and manage to get it MOT'd when the reg will flag up as something, you'll still struggle to sell it in this country.
Sell it for export, make a tidy £15k profit and progress with your life would be my advice
I think this is gonna be the best option to be honest! Just need to find where to sell it!If you manage to miraculously get it back on the road, and manage to get it MOT'd when the reg will flag up as something, you'll still struggle to sell it in this country.
Sell it for export, make a tidy £15k profit and progress with your life would be my advice
master cool said:
I think it comes down to me not actually buying the car back from them and possibly retaining it? The v5 remained with me
If you still have V5 at it wasnt sent into the insurance company i see no reason why you cant put this car back on the road, the problem that would occur further down the road would be if you tried to sell the car and the next owner applied for a V5 the application would be rejected.If an Insurer is willing to insure your car, you will still be able to use it.
It may be bending the rules slightly
Paddymcc said:
I had a car that was written off due to a flood.
The damage was only to the engine where it sucked up water and hydrolocked. The car still started and drove, very roughly, but an assessor came to view it and it was written off and declated as a CAT D at the time.
I purchased it back, fitted another engine and drove it for another 40k miles without issue.
This implies you drove through the flood and as such gave the engine a drink. I was always under the impression that insurance didn't cover this?The damage was only to the engine where it sucked up water and hydrolocked. The car still started and drove, very roughly, but an assessor came to view it and it was written off and declated as a CAT D at the time.
I purchased it back, fitted another engine and drove it for another 40k miles without issue.
master cool said:
It sucked up water through the air filter and the car stopped. Small bit of fluid and filter changing, car is running fine
If you have proof that this was actually the issue and the car is otherwise fine I would be on the phone to the insurance company as there's no way it should be a Cat B. Why were they even involved if that's all it needed?Edited by vtecyo on Tuesday 21st January 13:22
vtecyo said:
If you have proof that this was actually the issue and the car is otherwise fine I would be on the phone to the insurance company as there's no way it should be a Cat B. Why were they even involved if that's all it needed?
Car originally didn’t start at the roadside so insurance came and collected it. It’s only once we received it back that we have managed to start it with pretty much a drain, oil and filter changeEdited by vtecyo on Tuesday 21st January 13:22
Export it. The ABI details only apply in the UK.
https://www.autotrader.ie/
https://www.donedeal.ie/
https://www.autotrader.ie/
https://www.donedeal.ie/
Edited by S11Steve on Tuesday 21st January 16:54
nickv said:
If you still have V5 at it wasnt sent into the insurance company i see no reason why you cant put this car back on the road, the problem that would occur further down the road would be if you tried to sell the car and the next owner applied for a V5 the application would be rejected.
If an Insurer is willing to insure your car, you will still be able to use it.
It may be bending the rules slightly
Not sure if anything has changed in the last couple of years but in 2018 we took an old Cat B Ford Ka in PX from it’s owner who had driven it legally since it was written off in 2015. She was the original owner and bought the car back after the pay out but I think the key was it remained taxed and in her name all the timeIf an Insurer is willing to insure your car, you will still be able to use it.
It may be bending the rules slightly
We were told by DVLA it could not be re registered so sold it to a scrap dealer.
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