Declared Category N by Third Party Insurer

Puddy89

Hello everyone,
I am really hoping someone can advise me as my anxiety is through the roof and I can't get a straight answer from anyone.
Someone recently went into my parked Ford Focus and caused damage to the bumper and wing. The person left their details (which was good in this day and age) and I am now in the process of claiming via their insurance (Axa) for the damage.
I have been told that my car has been referred to the Total Loss team and the last telephone discussion I was told by their company FMG who deal with this that it is most likely to be declared a Category N.
I have only had this car 6 months and for various reasons and the fact my dad knows someone who can do a great job at repairs (plus  the car is a great runner) I want to keep the car as salvage which they have said I can do for 80% of the market value. I have no intention of ever selling the car and am aware in future it may affect my insurance premiums.
Time is also of the essence as we are due to go travelling in 3 weeks!
My overall question is,  if this happens and I keep the car, I will let my insurer know which is 1st Central (they already have been informed of the incident) but do I have to put the car through a new MOT? 1st Central said that they will provide insurance providing the car has a valid MOT and is roadworthy. My MOT doesnt expire until August and although I have a provisional date for repairs I dont have time before travelling to arrange a new MOT. Legally I have read there is no requirement for MOT or inspection  for category N (although it would need it for cat S) so can my insurer insist on it?
I am so worried that I will end up having no insurance or stung somehow. And I have read that if your own insurance declares this and pays for total loss you are immediately no longer insured, but what about via the third party's insurer?
Any help would be much appreciated.
Thank you all and hope you had/are having a good Easter 🐣 

400ixl

It is not true that you are immediately no longer insured. Most insurers will continue the insurance, especially if you have claimed from the 3rd party and they have not incurred any costs. Even if you had gone through your insurer, typically it just means the policy has to be paid in full if it is currently on instalments. They usually give you 30 days or so to transfer to a new car, but that won't apply here.

Usually a CAT N doesn't really affect the insurance price these days, but a claim can do even if non fault. As you are with 1st Central who are known for trying to find any way to raise the premiums you need to make sure you do as the policy says as far as informing them.

Cat N does not need a new MOT as it is a non structural category, so the existing MOT is still valid.

In theory you just need to inform 1st Central that you have been in a non fault accident and your vehicle is now a category N status and that it is still MOT'd. You can just get it repaired yourself with the payout from the 3rd party.

A salvage vale of 80% of the value seems a bit high though.

Aretnap

There's no legal requirement to get a new MOT though your own insurer might insist on one. Clarify with them whether they just mean it has to have a current MOT, or whether that wasn't you to get a new one to prove that it's still roadworthy post accident/repairs. If they do insist, can't the garage doing the repairs also do the MOT? Or if you're really desperate there's nothing to stop you taking it a policy with another insurer and cancelling your current one - though that's probably not the most cost effective thing to do.

Otherwise you will have little trouble insuring it. Most insurers don't ask and don't care whether a car has been previously written off, though read the assumptions carefully when buying insurance as a very few insurers do include a line in the assumptions about it.

Otherwise the only difference it makes is that were the car to be written off again the payout would be reduced a bit to reflect the effect the Cat N marker has on its value. And of course you might find it harder to sell, though if you plan to keep it until it falls apart and then trade it in for a couple of hundred quid that's not a major consideration.

Presumably you mean you can buy the car back for 20% of its market value? 80% sounds like a lot for what is basically salvage value.

Puddy89

Thank you both so much, that is very helpful. Yes I think I wrote wrong (oops) as I can buy it back for 20% and I just get 80% of the market value.

400ixl

That makes more sense, you will get 80% of the payment and keep the car.

money08

Keep the car and get the cash off the insurers for the amount you insured for. They will deduct a salvage fee of around a 1/3 but you will be quids in. Cat N is nothing in the grand scheme of things but do keep good pics of the damage and when you sell you will need to mention it in all honesty. My car was insured for around £2800. I kept the car and got £1900. I sold it later for £1500. Mine was only dented slightly in some places by a loonytoon with an iron bar.