There are several reasons why it’s helpful to know if your car’s been written off:
-
If you're a potential buyer, verifying a car's history can prevent you from unwittingly purchasing a car with significant damage or a theft record.
-
If your car was involved in an accident, knowing whether it’s classed as a write-off can help you navigate the insurance process.
-
Finally, if you want to sell your car, understanding the vehicle’s history (including its write-off category) will help you accurately assess its resale value.
In this guide, we’ll clarify when a car is considered a write-off. We’ll also explain how to check the write-off status of a vehicle, helping you to make informed decisions.
Get a free valuation
When is a car a write-off?
If your car is an accident, your insurance provider will inspect it. Your car will be written off if it’s deemed unsafe or beyond economical repair.
If this happens, your car will be assigned one of four write-off categories: A, B, S or N.
Your car’s category will determine whether it can be repaired and returned to the road – or has to be scrapped. When your car is written off, you must notify the DVLA via the GOV.UK website or by post. If you fail to do so, you could be fined £1,000.
Here’s a quick explainer on each of the insurance write-off categories:
-
Category A
Your car cannot be returned to the road - and the entire vehicle must be scrapped. This category is reserved for the most severely damaged vehicles with no salvageable parts.
-
Category B
Your car cannot be returned to the road – and the body shell must be scrapped. However, other parts can be stripped away and sold.
-
Category S (formerly Category C)
The structure of the car’s chassis is damaged but repairable. Cat S cars will need to be re-registered with the DVLA before they can be returned to the road.
-
Category N (formerly Category D)
The damage to your car is non-structural and may include superficial, electrical, and safety issues, such as faults in the brakes and steering. Your car cannot be driven until these issues are fixed.
Cat N cars do not need to be re-registered before being driven. However, you still need to tell the DVLA that the car was written off.
When are cars written off?
Many insurers will write off a car when the repair costs exceed 50-60% of the vehicle’s value. However, this threshold varies between insurance providers and car models.
What happens if your car is written off?
When a car is written off, the insurer will offer a payout based on the market value of the car before the accident, minus the compulsory and voluntary excess you agreed to for your policy.
You can find out your car’s current market value using our free car valuation tool.
What can I do if I don’t agree with the write-off decision?
You have the right to contest whether your car is written off. However, keep in mind that your insurance company will base their decision on the car’s current value and not the price you paid when you bought it.
If you think the vehicle is worth keeping, you can ask to keep it and get your settlement fee, but the salvage value will be subtracted from your payout.
The settlement amount is the most important detail. It’s crucial that you understand and agree with the amount stated in your policy documentation. It will be difficult to dispute this once you've agreed to it.
If you’re unhappy with the valuation provided by your insurance company, you can file a complaint with the Financial Ombudsman Service, who will handle your appeal. There are no guarantees of success, but it is a free and independent service. So, if you feel that you have a strong case, it could be worth a try.
What to do if the insurer's valuation doesn’t cover your finance
When you buy a car on finance, you will not be the legal owner until you have paid off the loan in full.
Therefore, if you write off a financed car, you may find that the settlement figure is less than the amount you owe on the vehicle.
This means that you could be paying for a car that you no longer drive for the remainder of your finance agreement. Alternatively, the finance company may ask you to make the outstanding payments in full.
If you have been offered a settlement figure below the market value of the car, you could go back to the insurance company with evidence that the offer is unfair and below what you would expect to receive.
When a car finance agreement has high interest payments, the amount owed may exceed the value of the car (known as ‘negative equity’). If your car is written off when you’re in negative equity, you should contact your insurer to discuss your repayment options.
What will my insurer do with my written-off car?
What happens to your car will depend on its write-off category. Cars in Categories A and B must be crushed – although parts can be salvaged from cars in the latter category and used for other vehicles.
If your car is a Category S or N write-off, the car can be sold by the insurance company, either to the original owner or a third party. Cars in these categories may be repaired and sold on to a new owner once the necessary repairs have been made.
Just bear in mind that resale values for write-off cars are always lower than identical vehicles that haven’t been in accidents.
How to check if a car is a write-off (step-by-step)
1. Conduct a vehicle history check
- Use an online vehicle history check service such as HPI Check.
- Enter the car’s registration number or vehicle identification number (VIN).
- Review the report for any write-off declarations by insurance companies and the assigned write-off category (if applicable).
These services usually require a small fee, but you’ll know definitively whether the car has been written off.
2. Review insurance records
- If you've been involved in an accident, your insurance company will determine and record the write-off status.
- If you’re buying a used car, ask the seller for details of any previous insurance claims.
3. Get a professional inspection
- Before purchasing a used car, you should hire a qualified mechanic to inspect the vehicle, especially if you suspect it might have been written off,
- The mechanic will look for damage or evidence of repairs that could indicate a write-off scenario.
- This should tell you whether the car has been damaged in an accident, even if the owner hasn’t made a claim on their insurance.
By following these steps, you can determine whether the car has been written off and make an informed decision.
Does webuyanycar buy write offs?
Yes, you can sell your car to webuyanycar, even if it’s been written off. Here’s how it works:
- Enter your reg number and mileage into our free car valuation tool.
- Book your appointment at any of our 500+ UK branches.
- Travel to your appointment. Happy to sell? We’ll send the cash to your bank.
Please note: If your car can’t be driven (e.g. if it’s Category A or B), it will need to be transported. To make things as easy as possible, we recommend hiring a local vehicle transport service.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’ve been in an accident, your insurer should inspect your car to determine whether to assign a write-off category. They will notify you if your car has been written off.
To find out whether a car you want to buy has been written off, use a paid vehicle check service such as HPI Check.
If your car is written off, your insurance provider will usually keep it and pay you its current value.
However, if your car is assigned Category S or N (formerly Categories C and D) you can usually repurchase it from them after receiving your settlement, if you want to. However, the car must be repaired to roadworthy condition before you can drive it again.
If you make a claim with your insurance provider, your premium will usually rise.
Whether you can sell your damaged car will depend on its write-off category.
If your car is Category S or N, you can repair or sell your car in its current state. Either way, you must inform the buyer about car’s write-off status and whether it’s roadworthy.
You cannot sell Category A or B cars on the private market, as they are too damaged to be returned to the road. In this case, your only option is to scrap your car at an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) - or through a car buying service such as webuyanycar.
You should never buy a Category A or B write-off car, as they cannot be used on the road – but you can buy parts salvaged from a Category B car.
However, you can buy a Category S or N car – and it should be safe to drive, providing it has been repaired to roadworthy condition.
Category S and N cars are often priced significantly lower than identical models that have not been in an accident, meaning you could get a bargain. However, buying a write-off car carries greater risk, as it may have hidden mechanical or structural issues from the accident.
After being repaired, a Category S car, needs to be re-registered with the DVLA - and it must pass a fresh MOT test before it can be returned to the road (regardless of the prior MOT due date).
After being repaired, Category N cars don’t require a fresh MOT (or a formal inspection) before they can be driven.