insurance company who will cover a Cat B?
insurance company who will cover a Cat B?
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Discussion

FNG

Original Poster:

4,744 posts

253 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
I own a Cat B vehicle that has been slowly and thoroughly repaired, and is now ready to put on the road.

The car hasn't cost me much except for my time, but it's rare, been uniquely finished in my own way, and I want to get some use out of it.

It's been MoT'd, and because it was written off in 2002 it doesn't have a VIC marker with DVLA - so as I understand it, it's good to go as soon as I have insurance cover.

Can anyone with experience of insuring a Cat B advise which insurance company or broker they use?

My usual brokers REIS and A-Plan aren't interested and a thorough googling hasn't yielded any names to try.

TIA.

jayemm89

4,464 posts

159 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
I was under the impression Cat B meant the car could be used as spares only and must NOT be put back on the road?

SteBrown91

3,125 posts

158 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
jayemm89 said:
I was under the impression Cat B meant the car could be used as spares only and must NOT be put back on the road?
Yes, "Should" not "must". Therefore if it can be repaired and be safe it can go back on the road.

TheAngryDog

13,228 posts

238 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
CAT B cars must not and can not be put back on the road. Only CAT C and D can be.

OP, I'm afraid all youve done is put time and money into scrap.

Axionknight

8,505 posts

164 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/buying-and-sellin...

Scrap IMO, most insurance won't touch you with a barge pole even if it can be put back on the road so I am willing to bet you are stuffed.

Track day insurance and a few mad blasts a year?

Edited by Axionknight on Thursday 3rd April 19:09

Barryboyni

179 posts

154 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
How are you going to get a V5 unless you ring it?

t400ble

1,804 posts

150 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
Seen a few cats B cars, with logs books all repaired back on the road at auctions.

t400ble

1,804 posts

150 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
Barryboyni said:
How are you going to get a V5 unless you ring it?
They'll issue a V5 as the DVLA records did not store details at that time.

CraigJ

660 posts

234 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
TheAngryDog said:
CAT B cars must not and can not be put back on the road. Only CAT C and D can be.

OP, I'm afraid all youve done is put time and money into scrap.
CAT B can be put on the road. There is no law against it. Just insurance industry rules ect.

The only problem is getting insurance as the OP is finding out.

FNG

Original Poster:

4,744 posts

253 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for the positive replies.

To answer the others:

Most insurers won't touch it but some do - hence asking.
I have the V5, its in my name, it was changed after the write off so there's no issue at the DVLA
My investment of time has been as a learning exercise so can never be a waste of time and money!
It would just be nice to be able to use it, I'm very happy with the end result
It's not really a trackday car!

Thanks all... Any more help anyone?

Rickyy

6,618 posts

248 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
No help I'm afraid, but I'd like to know what car this is!

KingNothing

3,337 posts

182 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
What's the car, out of curiosity?

HaloGen8

1,413 posts

158 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
I too thought that a Cat B car is to break for spares only.

I'm not sure how you go on from an insurance point of view, maybe an engineers report is required?

Is / was it Cat B from flood damage rather than accident damage?

FNG

Original Poster:

4,744 posts

253 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
It's a Subaru MV pickup. Or Brat in the USA, Brumby in Australia.

They rot.

This one had an impact on the sill between the A and B pillars, but as the sills were rotten when I got it they were replaced anyway.

It only needed a new bit of floor pan aside from that, and repair to the jacking point on the chassis leg. Really not a Cat B in my view but am well aware it's not worth challenging.

I too thought a Cat B legally had to be scrapped but its not true - just the insurance industry wanting us all to follow their guidelines.

It's not enforceable by law but obviously if the industry won't cover a Cat B, it sort of self regulates anyway.

But some must provide cover, not least as HPI released a press statement recently saying the number of Cat Bs is on the rise. The only way that can be is if people can actually drive them once bought.

ikarl

4,048 posts

228 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
Had a cat b car I put back on the road. Ignore the comments about it not being allowed etc

I went to a local broker. The car was effectively covered for third party only, which was ok for me at the time

FNG

Original Poster:

4,744 posts

253 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
Oh and no engineer report needed.

If DVLA were bothered - and in this case the write off was long enough ago that they are not - you only need an identity check (VIC) from VOSA and a valid mot.

I've got my V5, so VIC not needed, and it passed an mot.

So I just need a friendly insurance broker...

FNG

Original Poster:

4,744 posts

253 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
ikarl said:
Had a cat b car I put back on the road. Ignore the comments about it not being allowed etc

I went to a local broker. The car was effectively covered for third party only, which was ok for me at the time
Thanks - dont suppose you remember the insurers name?

Vaud

59,386 posts

184 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
FNG said:
So I just need a friendly insurance broker...
Try Saffron. They have been a good broker for me, although mine have been more vanilla policies. UK based, small but quite helpful.

FNG

Original Poster:

4,744 posts

253 months

Friday 4th April 2014
quotequote all
Bump for the day shift

jayemm89

4,464 posts

159 months

Friday 4th April 2014
quotequote all
Good luck with this anyway.

I do recall we had a car a long time ago that was probably a Cat B write-off, a Suzuki vitara.

The next owner phoned us and asked us if it pulled to the left when we owned it, we said it didn't before the JCB that hit it bent it in half!

Someone had been cheeky, done it up and punted it on without mentioning it was banana shaped at one point