Effect of Stolen/recovered on car value?

Kira000

Quick question for any of you knowledgeable peeps.

My car was stolen last year using a key taken in a burglary, and was recovered 2 days later 20 miles away with minor superficial damage- some paint work scratches and minor dinks and a new bumper. Had been used to transport a baby somewhere, as had child seat, dirty nappies, bottle and change bag left inside.

My insurers at the time, repaired the damage, cleaned it, changed the locks, gave me 2 new keys and the car was returned to me good as new.

Fast forward to august, and after an accident, my car has been written off. Now arguing with my new insurers over the write off value. Nothing has been mentioned to me about the theft until today, when i was advised they had run an HPI, and seen it was still on finance, and then they mentioned it came up as having been stolen and then recovered.

Now totally confused as i have read a few things that car that show on HPI as S/R cars are worth substaintially less than "straight" equivalents. But i have also read that they should only be on HPI checks as S/R if they were cat a,b,c,d total loss, and subject to pay out before being recovered, which mine wasnt. No mention was made to me by my previous insurers of total loss.

Are they trying to suggest my car is showing as S/R on HPI, when it isnt, and is just on an insurance file in orer to try and justify a lower payout, or has my previous insurer screwed me over, and recorded it incorrectly? Can they reasonably reduce my total loss value payout as a result of the previous theft, and if so do i have any recourse to my previous insurer, who technically will have failed to make sure i am no worse off as a result of the earlier claim as it will have materially affected the resale value?

Argh! Brain explosion!