Car written off as Cat C - Want it back on the road

mecheng46

Hello, it will be much appreciated if you could please give me some advice on the following:

Very briefly, few days ago a guy run into the rear door of my car, he accepted full responsibility, spoke to his insurance directly and nobody else during the negotiation stage (not even my insurance), got enough cash settlement from his insurance and I kept the car too.

After the cash settlement, his insurance sent me an email with all the information (cash settlement amount etc) and that my car has been declared as a CAT C due to cost of repairs and to ring DVLA. They also informed me that from their side, this is as far as it can go and is up to me to chase anybody after this (my insurance, DVLA etc).

Few days after the accident and before the cash settlement, i informed my insurance about the accident and I put a notification in the system about it. I haven't claimed anything and I am not interested claiming anything, it was just to inform them what happened and that my car might be declared as a CAT C vehicle.

Damages on my car were minor so I bought a spare complete rear door, which I replaced this morning and now my car looks as it was before the accident. Car is also ready to pass an MOT easy.

I understand there are few posts for similar issues but all of them are from few months ago and while the VIC system was in place. Now VIC system is abandoned and I am not sure what is the system or if there is one in place.

Do I use my car like before? Do I inform my insurance that my car is a CAT C? Will I have a problem insuring my car again in the future? Do I contact DVLA first? Who will tell them them that my car is a CAT C if I don't do it my self? Is my car currently legal, Taxed, MOT'ed and insured?

I have seen people suggesting take it for an MOT. Is this the system that is in place and I have to follow? Do I inform anybody before I do this or do I just book my car for an MOT and then inform everybody about everything? Do I go for an MOT, don't inform anybody and use my car like before?

If I do nothing and go back to normal, how all them bodies will know about all this?

My car has MOT, Tax and is insured till September.

lee678

It is the responsibility of the insurance company to notify dvla of the cat c marker .

bris

If it's a Cat C you need to apply to the DVLA for a V5 whether you have one or not. A new V5 will be issued but you need to pay for it.


I think the MOT is still valid but you should check the DVLA's website to confirm.


You don't need to tell the insurance, just answer any questions honestly, if they don't ask you don't need to tell them.

mecheng46

bris wrote: »

If it's a Cat C you need to apply to the DVLA for a V5 whether you have one or not. A new V5 will be issued but you need to pay for it.


I think the MOT is still valid but you should check the DVLA's website to confirm.


You don't need to tell the insurance, just answer any questions honestly, if they don't ask you don't need to tell them.

I am confused now. Who do I have to speak first? DVLA or Insurance?

lee678

quote from bris =

If it's a Cat C you need to apply to the DVLA for a V5 whether you have one or not. A new V5 will be issued but you need to pay for it.


I think the MOT is still valid but you should check the DVLA's website to confirm.



there is no charge for a replacement document where the car has been declared cat c by the insurance company, see section "d" of form v62, mot is nothing to do with dvla, and the current expiry date still applies, its dvsa that control mots not dvla.

mecheng46, reading your post again it appears that the insurance company that paid you out have not been too clear to you, they should electronically inform dvla that it is a cat c, but be aware they sometimes " forget " which, to be honest, causes more problems because they could "remember" in 3 month:( i would be tempted to put everything on hold at the minute, then hpi your car in a few weeks, see if its recorded or not and print the results and do the appropriate thing, don't loose your print out !
keep us informed, thanks.

mecheng46

lee678 wrote: »

quote from bris =

If it's a Cat C you need to apply to the DVLA for a V5 whether you have one or not. A new V5 will be issued but you need to pay for it.


I think the MOT is still valid but you should check the DVLA's website to confirm.



there is no charge for a replacement document where the car has been declared cat c by the insurance company, see section "d" of form v62, mot is nothing to do with dvla, and the current expiry date still applies, its dvsa that control mots not dvla.

mecheng46, reading your post again it appears that the insurance company that paid you out have not been too clear to you, they should electronically inform dvla that it is a cat c, but be aware they sometimes " forget " which, to be honest, causes more problems because they could "remember" in 3 month:( i would be tempted to put everything on hold at the minute, then hpi your car in a few weeks, see if its recorded or not and print the results and do the appropriate thing, don't loose your print out !
keep us informed, thanks.

Well, the letter that i received from his insurance says clearly at the bottom to contact DVLA.


Here is the bottom part of the letter:


"The vehicle has been declared a Category C total loss.

If you decide to keep the vehicle, you will need to contact the DVLA to obtain a new V5C document in order to renew your vehicle tax. Additional details can be found on the DVLA website. Further to this a new MOT test will be needed for the car to be considered roadworthy. We also suggest contacting your insurance company for advice on your policy.


Please note it is illegal to be the registered keeper of a car that does not have valid insurance. Failure to have the correct provisions in place could result in a fine of £100 that you will be liable for. "





At the moment government website shows my car Taxed, MOT'ed and insured. Is this the same system as police use? I just don't want to get stopped on motorway as i use the car daily to work.


From a safety point of view the car is spot on and ready to pass its next MOT. I just did a full service and checks and is ready and safe. I am only worrying if my car suddenly appear to be without MOT as i police will stop me.

lee678

ok, now we have more detail, ask your insurance company does the vehicle need a replacement mot, send off a v62 form , and, as i say, there is no fee to pay, an insurance company nor dvla can cancel a mot, be calm .

mecheng46

lee678 wrote: »

ok, now we have more detail, ask your insurance company does the vehicle need a replacement mot, send off a v62 form , and, as i say, there is no fee to pay, an insurance company nor dvla can cancel a mot, be calm .

I asked them few days after the accident without sharing any personal information and they told me that their policy states that when a car has been declared as a CAT C, yes it will need a new MOT.

So from my understanding, my car is still Taxed, MOT'ed but not insured at the moment. Well, is still insured but my insurance might refuse to consider any future claims because i have not followed their policy. I assume that this is the case.

So can i drive my car legally in police eyes but not from my insurance point of view?

I also understand that i will need to get a new V5C to state the CAT C thing. Does the MOT and the new V5C relate to each other or are they two separate issues? Is the one to prove to my insurance that my car can go back on the road and the other to keep DVLA informed about my car?

If I don't inform them, will my car be HPI clear? Why i have been left with all them questions? Whose fault is?

mecheng46

is been a while since my first post.

I took the car for a new MOT yesterday and it passed straight away so now I understand that i will have to inform DVLA, fill a V62 from and get a replacement V5C.

Has anybody went through the process?

By the way, so far i have only notified my insurance about the accident and that i don't want to claim about anything. My insurance doesn't know that is a CAT C.

Any advice?

caprikid1

My understanding is that a Third Party's insurer CANNOT Categorise your car as they do not insure your car.


They are settling YOUR losses due to the actions of Their insured.

mecheng46

caprikid1 wrote: »

My understanding is that a Third Party's insurer CANNOT Categorise your car as they do not insure your car.


They are settling YOUR losses due to the actions of Their insured.

Sorry i have not made that clear. Third party insurance have nothing to do with my car anymore.


I am talking about my current insurer. I feel that i have to inform them that my car is a Cat C now and also do the same with DVLA. I just don't want to pick the phone and inform either of them because i am using the car everyday. They might tell me to stop using the car for whatever reasons. So to cover my self i took the car for an MOT to prove that is roadworthy just in case something goes wrong.