Insurance write-off question

[Mako V12V]

My dad has been in a bad accident in his 3 month old Seat Ibiza (£15k car new).
His car ran into a brick wall. The front up to windscreen is wrecked. Smashed bumper, front wings and bonnet. Engine pushed back. Engine mount sheared. Front suspension knackered. The air bags deployed. Front tyres and alloys will be no good. There is also scrapes to the rear wheel arch and rear door and alloy on one side.

The accident was caused by another driver who was charged by the police for driving without due care and attention.
The claim is being made of his insurers.

Question. Can my dad insist the car is written off given the extent of the damage? He doesn't really want the car back even if it is repairable.
Can he claim for a new car as he'd only had the car 3 months and it had done 1000 miles, so as new?

[blank]

Sounds like it will be written off anyway.

Is he the first registered keeper? If so most insurance companies will replace with brand new if written off in the first year.

[bencollins4]

Most policies these days have a clause that they will replace a car for a new one if it registered new to you and written off inside 12 months. Going throught the third party's insurance is another matter.

If it is a write off they will probably offer you it's value less salvage but won't write it off unless it is uneconomical to repair. I wouldn't have thought you can insist a car is written off, unless it is.

[Mako V12V]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes my dad is the first owner, specced up with all the options as his first brand new car for his 70th birthday!

What difference would going through the third party's insurance make?

Can my dad not reject the car if they decide to repair as such damage, even if repaired, must devalue the car?

[bencollins4]

The third party insurer will deal with it as cheaply as they can, which probably won't involve buying a new equivalent car. If it can be repaired then they would not pay out more than the cost of repair - it's worth negotiating with them though. Nice car by the way!