Cat C total loss

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Fri 25 May 2007 09:18
Cat C total loss - Archie
My car was involved in a rear end collision with a drunk driver in December. The other party's insurer have declared it a Category C total loss, although the damage is confined to a couple of shallow dents in the tailgate and pushed in rear bumper mountings. I'd like to keep the car unrepaired as it's perfectly usuable. Would this be possible? Are there any implications with my current insurer?
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Fri 25 May 2007 10:28
Cat C total loss - cheddar
A mate recently had a car run into the side of his motorbike, the insurer declared it a Cat C write off and valued it as £2600 which was fair, they paid out and he bought it back for £750, he has spent £500 getting it better than before so has made over £1000 but for the fact that it is Cat C on the databases so its value is less than before.

Ask what they will pay you and what you can buy the car back for and weigh it up from there.
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Fri 25 May 2007 11:45
Cat C total loss - Falkirk Bairn
A few years back I met a chap who had had his car written off 3 x in 2 yrs- each time someone swiped him in the side/back/front - altogether an absolute mess but at about £500 / time he got £1500 for his original £600 investment in the Fiat - he never repaired any damage as the whole body of the car was a mess.

If you can buy the car back for the scrap value, can face running around in a stock car and run it for a year or 2 then there is no real issue.
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Fri 25 May 2007 21:20
Cat C total loss - GregSwain
You'll need a VIC (vehicle identity check) from VOSA as it's Cat C (this costs £36), just to make sure the car has the right VIN and engine-number, and obviously making sure the car appears driveable. Once this is done you can re-apply for the logbook, and start driving around again! Here's a couple of links you might find useful - the first is an info page on the VIC check, and the 2nd is a PDF version of the form to apply for a VIC check.

tinyurl.com/32m55n
tinyurl.com/ybq3e9
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