Motorcycle Written off

ruffneck247

My motorcycle was declared a write off in 2015 by MCE insurance. I received the payment from them and subsequently bought the bike back. I have repaired the bike and had it MOT'd in 2016 which it passed. My question is, I have now discovered that someone, either me or my insurance company should have told the DVLA but I don't know which and never received any correspondence from the insurance company telling me this was necessary.

Please can someone advise me as to what I need to do.

Thanks

System

Sounds like it was a Cat D - Not economical to repair.

Cat D doesn't get recorded on a logbook, Cat D vehicles don't have to go through a VIC (Vehicle Identity Check) and their status isn't recorded on the V5. For Cat A, B and C the insurer informs DVLA. Cat A and B cannot be put back on the road and a Cat C can but only after a VIC and a note is added to the V5 recording the Cat C.

As far as I know there is no legal requirement to inform DVLA of Cat D unless you scrap the vehicle which you're not doing. For all intents and purposes you can forget about it unless a future buyer specifically asks you if it has ever been a write off and then you would legally be required to tell them.

https://www.gov.uk/written-off-vehicle

Hoogle

I would have thought it was the same for a car, you need to send the Logbook back to DVLA to have it re categorized failing to do so can come with a £1000 fine. If it was written off because it would cost more to repair than replace then I am not sure if it can lead to a fine as you have had it now declared road worthy you shouldnt have a problem and I tend to find DVLA are quite forgiving for these kind of matters rather than none taxed etc. But also your insurance could be void if it is not listed under the right category (leading to insurance fraud but assuming you kept same insurance then they should be aware of it.)

I only know this very little info as i looked into it for a neighbour who had same issue with a car. a while back.

ruffneck247

Tarambor wrote: »

Sounds like it was a Cat D - Not economical to repair.

Cat D doesn't get recorded on a logbook, Cat D vehicles don't have to go through a VIC (Vehicle Identity Check) and their status isn't recorded on the V5. For Cat A, B and C the insurer informs DVLA. Cat A and B cannot be put back on the road and a Cat C can but only after a VIC and a note is added to the V5 recording the Cat C.

As far as I know there is no legal requirement to inform DVLA of Cat D unless you scrap the vehicle which you're not doing. For all intents and purposes you can forget about it unless a future buyer specifically asks you if it has ever been a write off and then you would legally be required to tell them.

https://www.gov.uk/written-off-vehicle

I checked by using the autotrader website to create a dummy sale. When you preview the item, it tells you what category it is, in my case cat C. The insurance company didn't tell me as I had no correspondence from them, actually, typical of MCE to not let me know. I am no longer with them. I asked my insurance broker and they said that they don't ever ask the question when doing a quote or creating a policy, they said because of that it wouldn't invalidate the insurance.

With regard to the VIC, I believe that this no longer exists.

Rolandtheroadie

Yes, VIC no longer needed for cars, don't think it was ever needed for motorbikes.

wgl2014

If your bikes showing as a cat C then surely the insurers did notify the DVLA?

ruffneck247

wgl2014 wrote: »

If your bikes showing as a cat C then surely the insurers did notify the DVLA?

Not to my knowledge, they are useless! It's not on my v5c and I've had a new one since I changed address.

wgl2014

But when you did the autotrader add it showed as a cat C?

ruffneck247

wgl2014 wrote: »

But when you did the autotrader add it showed as a cat C?

Yes, I guess that they check the MiDB? In actual fact, I cannot see on the V5 where they would put the Category.

Lomast

V5 does not actually state cat c. It says something like this vehicle has been substantially repaired on the note section on thee front page.

ruffneck247

forget all! Dummy alert! re-checked v5 and it says "this vehicle has been salvaged......"