Cat d write off - buying back from insurance and their salvage rates query x

EdGasket

DO you always have the right to buy the salvage or can the insurance company just write it off and keep it?

vaio

FOS view is

....When a vehicle is “written off”, the insurer becomes the owner of the salvage once the consumer accepts payment of the full market value. If the consumer asks to keep the salvage, the insurer is entitled to deduct what it would have been able to sell the salvage for – though this is usually not very much.....

to me that reads that you are certainly entitled to ask for the salvage and the insurers response must pass the FOS fairness test and so would need a good reason to refuse.

Similarly I'd guess the value of the salvage would also need to pass the fairness test.

phill99

I had the same issue when my car was written off (cat D). The salvage value bore no resemblance to what the salvage was worth on the open market. It was based on a figure that the insurers had contracted into with national salvage companies.

They knew that they could get £700 salvage for my car from their contractors. Therefore, for me to retain the car, I had to be willing to pay that in order to keep it.

masonj3

Thank you everyone. The damage is only cosmetic so as I know the history of the car, I wanted to keep it.
I called FOS helpline and they said its up to the insurance what they charge even if it isn't inline with others.
I ve tried negotiating and asking for a senior member of staff to review but I'm told this is the final offer, so have to accept if I want to retain the car.

dacouch

masonj3 wrote: »

The damage is only cosmetic

Is probably why the salvage value is relatively high as the Insurers will be able to sell the salvage for reasonable money as repairing it before selling it on will not cost much