Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[cam2502]

Hi guys, looking at buying a car (not an omega) that is advertised as having been cat c damaged. It has been fully repaired according to the ad, but i havnt spoken to the owner yet. Was just wondering what is the kind of damage a cat c covers?  :-/

[davethediver]

Little bit more than just panel damage, but still fixable

[o-meg-a]

Can be light body work really, nothing majorly structural.
Quite a wide variation in the category though.

anything from a small bump, say one panel, to a full front end, slam panel, lights, bonnet, wings etc

But like i said, cant be structural as it would have been CAT B or A.

Cat D is basically superficial, and they dont need a VIC check anymore either.

Cat C will require one after it has been Written off. Dont even have to carry out repairs if its only light damage.

Its just to ensure the car written off is the same one being put back onto the road.
Its not an MOT, you will need that afterwards.

[Mysteryman]

•Category A: Scrap only (i.e. with few or no economically salvageable parts and which is of value only for scrap metal
•Category B: Break for spare parts if economically viable (excluding any residual scrap value)
•Category C: Repairable total loss vehicles where repair costs including VAT exceed the vehicle's pre-accident value
•Category D: Repairable total loss vehicle where repair costs including VAT do not exceed the vehicle's pre-accident value

[o-meg-a]

Officially goes something like this:

Insurance Write Off Categories

The insurance write off categories are as follows:

Category A Insurance Write Off – the vehicle must scrapped and no parts or components can be sold other than for scrap. Amounts vary but Category A Insurance Write Off vehicles can be very valuable. Consider some of the online companies that will buy you car ‘what ever the condition.’ If the insurance company are prepared to give you a settlement figure and the car wreckage then make sure you shop around the various websites for the best offers.

If all else fails try your local scrap metal dealer, they will often pay good money for scrap cars or unrepairable vehicles. Visit our Scrap Cars page for more details. Also visit our car crashs website.

Category B Insurance Write Off - the vehicle must not be used again but non- structural and roadworthy parts and components may be recovered for use in other vehicles. Care must be taken to ensure that they are not critical components with important safety functions. Again there are several online companies who will offer significant amounts of money for Category B Insurance Write Off vehicles.


Category C Insurance Write Off – the vehicle is repairable but the parts and labour would exceed the value of the car. This is a tricky situation as there are plenty of amateur and professional mechanics who could use second hand parts to repair these vehicles at much lower prices than the list costs for parts and labour. Discuss this with your insurance company if you want to keep the car rather than have it written off.

Category D Insurance Write Off – the vehicle is economically repairable but other factors are involved that cause the insurer to declare the vehicle a write off. Perhaps the replacement car hire is too costly or it will take too long for a specialist part to be delivered. Again, discuss this with your insurance company if you want to keep the car.

Category X Insurance Write Off – the vehicle is easily repairable and may even be still roadworthy.


Unrecorded Insurance Write Off – the vehicle damage was not reported to the insurer or the driver was uninsured. The most common example is drivers who only have third party insurance but have had an accident that was their fault (usually not involving anyone else).

Please do bare in mind though that ANY Insurance Categorised car is worth LESS at resale. FACT

[cam2502]

thanks chaps,much appreciated

[o-meg-a]

thanks chaps,much appreciated

Posted mine at the same time as the one above, didn't mean to repeat lol

[Ken T]

Thing to watch is how well its been repaired. My Wife's 06 Corsa was a Cat C, supposedly legal, repaired, and on the face of it a tidy motor. However when driving back , I discovered the headlamps were badly missaligned, and upon investigation the headlamp mount panel had not been straightened, both headlamps were missing leveling motors, and both pre-tensioners had fired. Cat C doesn't matter, its how well its been repaired. An MOT is no judge of its state on the day you buy it.

Ken

[o-meg-a]

Thing to watch is how well its been repaired. My Wife's 06 Corsa was a Cat C, supposedly legal, repaired, and on the face of it a tidy motor. However when driving back , I discovered the headlamps were badly missaligned, and upon investigation the headlamp mount panel had not been straightened, both headlamps were missing leveling motors, and both pre-tensioners had fired. Cat C doesn't matter, its how well its been repaired. An MOT is no judge of its state on the day you buy it.

Ken

So very true

[Martin_1962]

Cat C which took 450 to repair, my excess is 425

Slow speed bump took out wing, bonnet & bumper

[russ0205]

Bought swmbo a cat c puma last year only needed a wing and bumper, 2001, 51 plate

car £300
wing and bumper (ebay) £80
vosa check £60
mot £50
 

[cam2502]

further to my original question.....if it is cat c does it have to get a vosa check? and if so i assume that vosa would give a certificate to say it had passed?

[russ0205]

Yep and its a joke all they check is the engine number and chassis number,They give you a form to say it has passed and also notify dvla so it will appear on the log book as accident damaged but inspected,cat D doesn't need a vosa check,