Car Insurance Claim - advice please! Write-off or no?

Foxy-Stoat_3

colino wrote: »

Foxy-Stoat, at what point did the classification of write off get established here or VOSA get involved to rescind the MOT.
Absolute rubbish.

The first post stated that the engineer considered it a write off.

Assuming the OP is claiming off his own insurance then the car will be classed as a CAT C would it not?

V5 and MOT would be surrendered and the car will need a VIC check to obtain a new V5.

Not absolute rubbish is it.

BJV

Hate to say it but with no oil you could convince them to sell it back to you and two weeks later it could be hundreds of pounds to fix part of the engine.

Yes better the devil you know but now you know it may have engine problems why not push them for a higher price and cut your loss's.

Prothet_of_Doom

Foxy-Stoat wrote: »

If you are able to buy it back, you will need to re-mot it and take it for a VIC check before you can use it again.

CAT C and CAT D do not require an MOT, or any CONDITION inspection until NEXT MOT.

CAT C only requires a Vehicle Identity Check. I know someone who passed this check with a damaged, but perfectly driveable and road legal car. - it had a large dent in one door, and he'd hammered the wing out so it wasn't touching the wheel.

Geoff_Mutton

Anyone know what would happen if I cancelled my claim at this point, or whether that's even possible?

Would I struggle to get insured next year? (or in a month, actually).
Is it too late?

colino

You are perfectly entitled to withdraw the claim and declare it for information only, but they will record you as having an incident and you will have to declare it wherever you go for insurance.
Foxy-Stoat, keep on assuming and making things up, it really helps.

vaio

colino wrote: »

You are perfectly entitled to withdraw the claim and declare it for information only, but they will record you as having an incident and you will have to declare it wherever you go for insurance.
Foxy-Stoat, keep on assuming and making things up, it really helps.

Is it a fault or non fault accident? Anyone else claiming?

Geoff_Mutton

So - quite an eventful day, but I think I'm starting to get somewhere!

I spoke to the insurers and asked if I could cancel the claim - they said yes, providing the car wasn't with the salvage people yet. (it's on my drive right now, but only because I told them yesterday that I wasn't happy with the write-off and I would not release the car).

It is already on a database as Category C. If I cancelled the claim, that would not change and I would require a VIC test and MOT to carry on using the car.

I explained to the woman on the phone how crazy writing it off seemed to me, as the car is completely safe to drive and must be good for at least another 50,000 miles. Aside from a little cosmetic creasing, I was happy to drive it as it is right now and then have it panel bashed when I'm less skint.

She said "well, why don't you get a quote for that today? If it comes in below the 60-70% of estimated resale threshold, then we'll cover it. It will get reclassified as 'repaired' so no Cat C, no VIC test, no MOT required".

I informed her that she was the first person I'd spoken to that seemed to be talking any sense whatsoever and the fact that I've spent two weeks trudging through people seemingly working against me made me worry that she was mistaken.

Long story short(er): been to the local garage (that bent the wing out for me for free the other day so I could open the door). They've said they can source a used door, wing and mirror, fit them and spray them for around £750 tops. (£840 is the threshold for the insurance to declare it not worth it, so all good).

Insurers have given it the thumbs up - although the paperwork will still have to go through an engineer, but they see no potential problems with the arrangement.

I'm cannot understand why they never explained this was an option at any point before I asked about cancelling the claim.

Obviously, I'm not out of the woods yet, but I feel a whole lot better than I did when they were on the phone yesterday saying "there is a tow truck on the way, please have your keys and your documents ready - and no, there's nothing you can do about it".

It could still all collapse in a mess. I'll believe it's all good when I have new parts fitted and paid for and I see paper evidence that I'm not longer Cat C. I feel like that's a possibility now though, at least!

Thanks again for all the advice folks. It's made a big difference.
Fingers crossed....

Foxy-Stoat_3

Geoff_Mutton wrote: »

It is already on a database as Category C. If I cancelled the claim, that would not change and I would require a VIC test and MOT to carry on using the car.

Glad I wasn't talking absolute rubbish and assumed correctly.

Hope it works out well for you and you get to keep the car and have the benefit of the new clutch....unusual that an insurance company has actually listened to one of its customers and been flexible.

Geoff_Mutton

Quick update.

They phoned today to say the repair with my local garage quote was approved and the cheque is in the post. (hurrah!)

When I asked them to confirm that the Category C classification would be changed to 'repaired', they said "no, that can't happen once it's been put on, I'm afraid".

I told them I'd been advised by them that's exactly what would happen when I phoned last week to ask for my options about cancelling the claim. They said they'd have to run the tapes of the calls back. I said please do. I'm glad I've been polite and calm with everyone from the insurance after losing my rag with the engineer who called first telling me it was a write off.

I've told them that I'm not happy and that the car has never been uneconomical to repair - as evidenced by the fact that they're sending me the money now to have it repaired. Obviously, this knocks a grand off the re-sale value and means I have to go through MOT and VIC testing at my expense if it goes that way - and I consider it an error on their part that I shouldn't have ever had to deal with. They've said they'll look into it and I'll hear back.

Anyone know if this is true? Can something be classed as 'repaired' after it's been classed as category C, or is it Cat C for good now?

colino

Put it back in their court, they have simply made an administrative error (if they really have) and if the car has been fixed it isn't a Cat C or D. It is for them to sort out (it is possible), claim for the devaluation (different from the exclusion of devaluation of a normal insurance-repaired car) and keep at it.