Category C write off + insurance

NewFolder

My car is a category c write off (previous owner's fault, they fully repaired it). Insurance has never been a problem with it before, but then again I've never made any claims either.

My insurance is currently due for renewal, and I've found a company that will give me more cover, less excess and a lower price than my current insurer. Someone told me that the fact that it's category c can affect the insurance, so I decided to ask them whether it will affect the price. I emailed them 3 weeks ago and didn't get a reply, so I phoned them. The first two people I spoke to said they didn't know, then I got put on hold and cut off after 15 mins. So I sent them another email and haven't had a reply after 5 days, I doubt they will reply to be honest.

I'm running out of time to sort this insurance out, so I need to know whether I'll be ok just not telling them. They don't ask anywhere when providing a quote, and I can't find anything about it in the policy booklet.

spacey2012

I would think it would.
Cat c is quite a bump and the car will be weakened so the next lot sitting in it will not have the protection of a undamaged crumple zone.
I certainly would not want to be sitting in it in a smash.

NewFolder

spacey2012 wrote: »

I would think it would.
Cat c is quite a bump and the car will be weakened so the next lot sitting in it will not have the protection of a undamaged crumple zone.
I certainly would not want to be sitting in it in a smash.

Wasn't that much damage, it was crashed into a brick wall at very low speed, the only damage was to a headlamp, the front bumper and the bonnet, all of which have been replaced with new parts.

The only reason it's cat c is because the car wasn't worth much and it cost too much to repair.

dacouch

Which insurer is it?

BertTheRaccoon

If you're not asked about it, there's nothing to declare. Often you can get a copy of the policy booklet/ terms & conditions to peruse and check if there are any exclusions. I wouldn't expect there to be, but worth checking.

If it's had some cat c action in the past, it will probably have had the VIC check done otherwise you wouldn't have got the V5 back from DVLA after registering it to you (as a marker on it would have flagged up you need to get a VIC check done before DVLA would issue you a V5 in your name.

It would depend on how old/ valuable the car is as to the extent of damage needed to classify it a Cat C. A £1000 turd would just need every panel keyed to probably end up Cat C, where as a much newer car would probably need some proper structural damage to get to that extent.

Where the Cat C status would make a difference is in the value of the car in the eyes of an insurer. Usually expect a 30% knock down from private sale value.

NewFolder

dacouch wrote: »

Which insurer is it?

Admiral

...

spacey2012

i take it you knew these people who owned it and saw the damage prior to repair.

dacouch

BertTheRaccoon wrote: »

If you're not asked about it, there's nothing to declare. Often you can get a copy of the policy booklet/ terms & conditions to peruse and check if there are any exclusions. I wouldn't expect there to be, but worth checking.

If it's had some cat c action in the past, it will probably have had the VIC check done otherwise you wouldn't have got the V5 back from DVLA after registering it to you (as a marker on it would have flagged up you need to get a VIC check done before DVLA would issue you a V5 in your name.

It would depend on how old/ valuable the car is as to the extent of damage needed to classify it a Cat C. A £1000 turd would just need every panel keyed to probably end up Cat C, where as a much newer car would probably need some proper structural damage to get to that extent.

Where the Cat C status would make a difference is in the value of the car in the eyes of an insurer. Usually expect a 30% knock down from private sale value.

Providing the Insurer does not include a statement in their "Assumptions" stating they do not insure written off cars as Swift do

BertTheRaccoon

Behind the likes of Markerstudy and the other Gibraltar based outfits, I barely regard Swift as an insurer (despite their AXA underpinnings)

vaio

there are a couple of insurers who exclude cover for cat C cars in their general assumptions, the rest don't care.

Carefully and fully read the assumptions and policy terms & conditions and you'll be fine

motorguy

NewFolder wrote: »

My car is a category c write off (previous owner's fault, they fully repaired it). Insurance has never been a problem with it before, but then again I've never made any claims either.

My insurance is currently due for renewal, and I've found a company that will give me more cover, less excess and a lower price than my current insurer. Someone told me that the fact that it's category c can affect the insurance, so I decided to ask them whether it will affect the price. I emailed them 3 weeks ago and didn't get a reply, so I phoned them. The first two people I spoke to said they didn't know, then I got put on hold and cut off after 15 mins. So I sent them another email and haven't had a reply after 5 days, I doubt they will reply to be honest.

I'm running out of time to sort this insurance out, so I need to know whether I'll be ok just not telling them. They don't ask anywhere when providing a quote, and I can't find anything about it in the policy booklet.

Why nor ring them and ask rather than emailing?