Write-Off Check

After an accident, flood, fire or theft, an insurer decides whether a car is worth repairing. If it is not, the insurer pays out and the car is written off. The car is given a category that says how serious the damage was, and the insurer records it.

Written-off cars are often repaired and sold on. That is legal for some categories, but the buyer should know what they are buying.

Cat A

Scrap only. The car must be crushed and no parts can be reused. It can never go back on the road.

Cat B

Break for parts. Parts can be salvaged, but the body shell must be crushed. It can never go back on the road.

Cat S

Structural damage, such as a bent chassis or crumple zone. It can be repaired and driven again.

Cat N

Non-structural damage, such as electrics, trim or panels. It can be repaired and driven again.

Cat C and Cat D

These are the older categories, used before October 2017. Cat C meant repairs would cost more than the car was worth, and Cat D meant repairs would cost less but the insurer chose not to repair it. They were based on cost, not on the type of damage, so a Cat D car could have anything from cosmetic to structural damage.

For each insurer loss record held against the car, the report shows:

• the write-off category or damage status
• the date of the loss and the type of loss, where recorded
• the insurer and their claim reference, where recorded
• whether the record has since been removed, and when

A check only finds damage that went through an insurer. If an owner paid for repairs themselves, there will be no record, so a clear result is no substitute for looking the car over.

It can be a fair deal at the right price, if you go in knowing what to look for.

• Pay less. A repaired write-off is usually worth noticeably less than the same car without a record, and it will be worth less when you sell it too.
• Ask for proof of the repair. Invoices and photos from a reputable garage show how it was fixed. For Cat S, an independent inspection is worth paying for.
• Get an insurance quote first. Some insurers charge more for write-offs or will not cover them at all.
• Make sure the seller has told you. If the seller said nothing and the check shows a write-off, ask why before you go any further.

• Car finance check – Is money still owed on the car?
• Stolen car check – Has the car been reported stolen?

The report also covers high-risk markers, scrapped status, keeper and plate changes, and the VIN. See a sample report.