Write off procedure question

[SupraShaun]

Hey all. Could anyone tell me what the deal is if a car is declaired as written off? What i want to know is if my insurance ring up and say- my cars a write off, can i say i dont want to claim and they return the car as is (if so will it still be recorded as cat d or whatever)? The reason i ask is becuase before my car was taken away by my insurers (to their approved garage to be evaluated) i had it checked out by a proffesional bodyshop bloke and mechanic and it the damage doesnt seem as bad as i thought/ or it looks. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Shaun

 

PS. I did just ring my insurance to ask this but the staff there at this time of night are about as much use as a handbrake on a canoe.

[Burble Burble]

You own the car and you are the insured so it's your choice if you claim. But.... if they've towed it away and are paying an assessor and storage then if you say you're not proceeding they may charge you, plus if you hit anything, the insurers of whatever you hit will want paying.

The other point is what status they give, different categories exist, some are unfit for return to the road, in which case they write it off and pay you money. If it's considered repairable then you can buy it back, that way you are paid the cars worth, (according to the insurer), but buy back at scrap value and can then repair it. If you choose that option, DON'T send your log book off till they agree, the other option is that you can tell the insurers of the independant opinion you have and ask them to use the bodyshop you've chosen?

(I wrote off a supra and a skyline GTR - not at the same time - and it can be a pain going through the rigmarole).

 

Good luck with your choice.

[SupraShaun]

You own the car and you are the insured so it's your choice if you claim. But.... if they've towed it away and are paying an assessor and storage then if you say you're not proceeding they may charge you, plus if you hit anything, the insurers of whatever you hit will want paying.

The other point is what status they give, different categories exist, some are unfit for return to the road, in which case they write it off and pay you money. If it's considered repairable then you can buy it back, that way you are paid the cars worth, (according to the insurer), but buy back at scrap value and can then repair it. If you choose that option, DON'T send your log book off till they agree, the other option is that you can tell the insurers of the independant opinion you have and ask them to use the bodyshop you've chosen?

(I wrote off a supra and a skyline GTR - not at the same time - and it can be a pain going through the rigmarole).

 

Good luck with your choice.

 

Thanks for your help mate, much appreciated

[Homer]

It does make a difference depending on who is found to be at fault. From your accident thread it seemed pretty clear the other party was at fault, and as such, provided the car isn't damaged beyond safe repair (Cat A or B), they must repair it to original condition. At least that was my understanding of it!

 

There was another thread on the forum a few months ago where a few of the insurance guys explained how it works.

[Rob]

It does make a difference depending on who is found to be at fault. From your accident thread it seemed pretty clear the other party was at fault, and as such, provided the car isn't damaged beyond safe repair (Cat A or B), they must repair it to original condition. At least that was my understanding of it!

 

There was another thread on the forum a few months ago where a few of the insurance guys explained how it works.

 

They will try to write it off and hope you don't fight it, but as Homer says, you have the right to be put back into the position you had before the crash, whatever the cost to the other guys insurance.