Car Write Off

BryterLater

Hi all, just after some advice really. My car was vandalised whilst at work around a month ago (I work for the NHS). The wing mirror was smashed off and there was damage to the door (dents and paint work). I needed the car for work and so got a new wing mirror fitted but when I looked at the damage further I decided that it was extensive enough to claim on my insurance. The insurer came back and said it would be uneconomical to repair and is a total loss. I was completely shocked and so said to just cancel the claim, which they did. The person on the phone said to have a think about it and call back if I changed my mind as I could potentially receive the value of the car in a payout (roughly around £2.5k) less my excess and then buy back the car for 30% of the value that they paid out. It would likely be classed as a category N write off.

Has anyone ever done this and does anyone have any advice on what they would do in this situation. My other option is to just pay for some repairs to my car myself and not involve the insurance at all or just drive it as it is as the damage appears purely superficial to the door.

DUTR

Concentrate on other aspects of your life it's more important at present, if you have made good the damage then continue to use the vehicle as is (assuming it is roadworthy) if vandals have visited they may visit again.
Very few win out against the insurers in the long run, the final decision is always yours.

Scrapit

BryterLater said:

Hi all, just after some advice really. My car was vandalised whilst at work around a month ago (I work for the NHS). The wing mirror was smashed off and there was damage to the door (dents and paint work). I needed the car for work and so got a new wing mirror fitted but when I looked at the damage further I decided that it was extensive enough to claim on my insurance. The insurer came back and said it would be uneconomical to repair and is a total loss. I was completely shocked and so said to just cancel the claim, which they did. The person on the phone said to have a think about it and call back if I changed my mind as I could potentially receive the value of the car in a payout (roughly around £2.5k) less my excess and then buy back the car for 30% of the value that they paid out. It would likely be classed as a category N write off.

Has anyone ever done this and does anyone have any advice on what they would do in this situation. My other option is to just pay for some repairs to my car myself and not involve the insurance at all or just drive it as it is as the damage appears purely superficial to the door.

You have already involved the insurance. They will recoed this and it will affect your renewal premiums claim or not

daveyjp

A local bodyshop can probably repair the car for far less than the insurance.

Insurance start from a position of replace rather than repair, its why our last insurance job cost £250 for a bumper respray and not the £2,000+ the insurance were happy to pay for a whole new bumper and respray.

Ganga

You could also post this on your facebook page ,explain that you work for the NHS ,some kind person in the trade may do you a favour. I know this happened locally as i saw it on facebook where a bodyshop did some repairs for a front line nurse and did not take a penny.
This virus has brought out the best in a lot of people and unfortunately the worst in a few.

Silvertabby

My car was only a couple of years old when some muppet let go of their door on a windy day and let it smash into mine.

We took it to the dealer we had bought it from, who immediately said 'insurance job - you need a whole new outer door'.

We then took it to a local bodywork shop who knocked out the dent and re-sprayed the door.  Superb job for £140 (although this was some time ago!)

fred246

The mistake is to think that the expensive solution is best. There are a lot of gubbins in a modern car door. Better to leave them well alone and do a little respray than to buy a new door and let someone at a garage try and move the gubbins into a new door.

Debs100

Hi everyone! Unfortunately, I was in a car accident last week - someone didn't give way to me on a roundabout so I crashed into the side of their HONDA CRV. Anyway, the other driver has accepted full liability and, her insurers deemed my Mini Cooper D a write off despite even looking at it. The damage is only to the bonnet and headlight on the nearside but they have classified it as a category S. They've offered me two amounts which would buy me a bog standard mini. I live on an island and they are not taking into account having to look for a car and the ferry costs involved. And suggestions appreciated. Stay safe folks x

AdrianC

Damage only to bonnet and light would not be Cat S, it'd be Cat N. They're suspecting there's more damage beneath. You could push them to inspect, but I doubt that'll happen in a hurry. Due to the current situation, desktop inspections will be the norm, erring on the side of caution.

If you can prove the value of your car was higher than they state - and, remember, it's something that's well documented in the price guides they use - then you're entitled to that. But not the additional costs of sourcing a replacement. They only owe you the value.

If you really believe the damage is so minor, push to retain the salvage, and repair the car.

Aretnap

BryterLater said:

Has anyone ever done this and does anyone have any advice on what they would do in this situation.

As far as insurance goes your choice seems to be to make the claim and get ~£1600, or not make the claim and not get £1600. Personally I would take the £1600. Why would you not?

(making the claim would admittedly mean an impact on your no claims bonus so it might mean somewhat higher premiums for the next few years, but unless you're already paying quite a bit for insurance it's unlikely to add up to more than the value of the claim)

What you do about the repairs is a separate issue. Provided the car is safe to drive it is entirely up to you to decide how much of the cosmetic damage you want to have repaired. If your insurer gives you a cash settlement it's up to you what you do with the cash - there is no obligation to spend it on repairs.