Buying back a written off car
Discussion
I was driving my Subaru Forester down a narrow country lane recently and had an altercation with a farmer and his pick up truck.
My car has been scratched and dented from the front bumper, down every panel on the driver's side, including the A-pillar adjacent to the windscreen. The rear door on that side is jammed shut.
It was not a particularly expensive car: I paid 6k recently. I suspect it will be written off.
I have absolutely no vanity about my runaround and would be happy to drive it, in its current state. The only thing that definitely needs fixing is the wing mirror. Otherwise it is in good mechanical condition and had been serviced the week before!
If the insurance company let me buy it back for a low price, do I need to get it inspected, or can I just carry on?
The other issue is that in 12 months time I will need to start commuting and will have to swap cars, and will assume by this stage the forester will only be worth it's weight in scrap!
My car has been scratched and dented from the front bumper, down every panel on the driver's side, including the A-pillar adjacent to the windscreen. The rear door on that side is jammed shut.
It was not a particularly expensive car: I paid 6k recently. I suspect it will be written off.
I have absolutely no vanity about my runaround and would be happy to drive it, in its current state. The only thing that definitely needs fixing is the wing mirror. Otherwise it is in good mechanical condition and had been serviced the week before!
If the insurance company let me buy it back for a low price, do I need to get it inspected, or can I just carry on?
The other issue is that in 12 months time I will need to start commuting and will have to swap cars, and will assume by this stage the forester will only be worth it's weight in scrap!
It will have to be inspected yes. If you wish, you could leave the damaged panel on and still get a pass from the inspector. However, you will need to make sure the mirror is fixed (as you already said), but you will also need to make sure the rear door opens and closes and that there are no sharp edges. Basically, you will have to bring it back upto a roadworthy state.
Any pictures?
Any pictures?
Dont fall into the trap I did, I was told that I couldnt buy the car back, I later found out (my brother works in auto insurance claims) that the insurance company have absolutely no legal entitlement to your car.
They will tell you they are going to take it and give you no choice (as they did me). this is because they get more money back selling it to breakers then you paying a %.
you can keep it, I am still angry with the navy insurance company from 10 years ago. They lied and manipulated - stated in the end my vehicle was a cat A insurance write off so I couldnt keep it as it was dangerous (2 years old 406 coupe V6 SE with panel damage only- they only paid out 4k and I owed 15k on the car) They took it, listed it as a Cat D, sold it to a breakers who repaired it for circa 2k and put it up for over 10k cat D repaired.
I was left owing 11k and no car. Lesson learnt. Never trust insurance companies unless its hagerty
They will tell you they are going to take it and give you no choice (as they did me). this is because they get more money back selling it to breakers then you paying a %.
you can keep it, I am still angry with the navy insurance company from 10 years ago. They lied and manipulated - stated in the end my vehicle was a cat A insurance write off so I couldnt keep it as it was dangerous (2 years old 406 coupe V6 SE with panel damage only- they only paid out 4k and I owed 15k on the car) They took it, listed it as a Cat D, sold it to a breakers who repaired it for circa 2k and put it up for over 10k cat D repaired.
I was left owing 11k and no car. Lesson learnt. Never trust insurance companies unless its hagerty
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