Write Off Information

Condition Data Check

We check if the vehicle has been recorded as written-off or a total loss by an insurance company due to a damage or theft-related insurance claim. A damage-related insurance claim means the insurer has decided that the vehicle is uneconomical to repair. You should only proceed with the purchase once you are satisfied that the repairs have been carried out to a high standard and that the car is roadworthy. A theft-related insurance claim indicates that the vehicle has been stolen and an insurance company has paid out a claim on it and has become the legal owner. It may have been recovered in tact and returned to the road, or in a damaged condition.

If you require further information about a Theft status contact our Service Support Team who will verify the current status of the vehicle for you.

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Categories Of Write-Off

An explanation of the categories of write-off are listed below:

Category A

A vehicle which should have been totally crushed, including all its spare parts.

Category B

A vehicle from which spare parts may be salvaged, but the bodyshell should have been crushed and the car should never return to the road.

Category C

An extensively damaged vehicle which the insurer has decided not to repair, but which could be repaired and returned to the road.

Category D

A damaged vehicle which the insurer has decided not to repair, but which could be repaired and returned to the road.

Category F

A vehicle damaged by fire, which the insurer has decided not to repair.

Theft

These vehicles have not been recovered and ownership rests with the insurer who made the total loss payment. They are able to repossess the car as soon as it is identified, even if it has been bought innocently.

Vehicles categorised as A, B or C require a VIC test before the DVLA will issue a new registration document. This will then be noted on the V5C. See www.dvla.gov.uk for more information on VIC testing.

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Should I Buy A Written-Off Vehicle?

Before you buy a written-off vehicle you should consider the following:

• Tell your insurance company about it - if you don't they may refuse a claim. It is unlikely to affect the premium you pay, but it may reduce the amount paid out in the event of a claim.
• Have a mechanical inspection carried out to ensure it has been repaired to a high standard - an MOT certificate is not sufficient.
• The market value will have been reduced considerably by the write-off - don't pay full price for it.
• You may have some difficulty selling the vehicle in the future. Dealers often won't accept them in part exchange and the market for it will be limited. A potential buyer will also have the same concerns in the future as you do now.

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Will previous accident damage be recorded?

We will only show accident damage if the vehicle has been subject to a total loss claim through an insurance company. If the vehicle has been damaged but repaired by the insurance company or the owner, then there will be no record of it.

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This vehicle has been written off, can you tell me the exact area of damage?

The insurance company do not release this detail of information. They only tell us the category of write off which gives an indication of the severity of the damage. If you are looking for further information regarding this matter we would advise getting the vehicle mechanically inspected.

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What does third party or self-insured mean?

If a vehicle belongs to a large fleet it may be insured for the legal minimum only. This means that if it is damaged the fleet owner must either repair it, or send it to salvage. This is called 'self-insured'. Similarly some individuals only insure their vehicle as 'third party' due to the cost of the policy compared with the value of their vehicle. If the vehicle is damaged the insurance policy will not pay for any repairs so therefore there is no record of the damage.

Many vehicles are bought from salvage, repaired and sold on. There is no guarantee that repairs have been carried out to a satisfactory standard. There are other instances where a vehicle has been badly damaged and the insurance company have refused to pay for repairs, for example if it was being driven by an uninsured driver, or if was stolen with the keys in.

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Scrapped

Scrapped information is received from the DVLA and DVLNI.

Do not proceed with the purchase if the vehicle is recorded as scrapped.

Please contact our Service Support Team for more information.

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