Category C and D Cars: Should You Buy One?

If you’ve ever even considered buying a used car, ‘Cat C,’ ‘Cat D,’ and ‘insurance write-off’ are most likely phrases you’ve heard. Insurance companies categorise cars and write them off when they have been involved in accidents or when they have been damaged in some way, such as in a flood. The category the insurance company chooses to label the car with indicates the condition of the car and how it can used.

Insurance Write-Offs

When most individuals think of an insurance write-off, they believe the term indicates that a car has been so damaged it is permanent unsafe to drive or is beyond repair. In most cases, this isn’t true at all. Insurance companies use the term write-off to indicate vehicles whose repair costs would exceed their overall value. Because of this, they decide not to repair the damaged vehicle.

How does this process work? When a car becomes damaged, the owner calls his insurance company to let him know. The insurer than assess the cost of the car parts, storage, and labour that would be involved in fixing the car. If they decide that the car isn’t worth the financial cost of repairing, they will do one of two things:

• The insurance company will offer the owner cash for the car, pay for the damages themselves, and take a chance of selling the car at a higher price than what they valued it.

• Write-off the car and place it in the appropriate write-off category that provides a clearer picture of the damage and future of the car. The owner than has a chance to repair the car, if possible.

Category C and D Write-Offs

If a car is going to be written off, it will be placed in one of four categories by the insurance company:

• A- Cat A cars are so severely damaged they are only good as scrap. Their car parts may be recycled.

• B- Cat B cars are unsafe for the road, but some of their parts can be removed and used as spares. The shell of the car, however, has to be crushed.

• C- Cat C cars have damage that is repairable, and once those repairs are made, they can be subjected to a Vehicle Identity Check and allowed back on the road. These cars generally have repair work that will cost more than the car is worth.

• D- Cat D cars can be repaired as well, but the cost of the repairs is generally less than the overall value of the car.

If you’re interested in purchasing a used vehicle, buying a car that has been labelled as a Cat C or D car can be a gamble. While they must undergo a Vehicle Identity Check that is carried out by VOSA, the Vehicle Operator and Services agency, this check only ensures the car is what it’s supposed to be, meaning it isn’t a copy or stolen. It does not ensure that the vehicle will pass its MOT.

Because of this, you should be very careful when purchasing this type of car. If the previous owner didn’t take the time to ensure all of the car parts were repaired properly, you could fail your MOT test, which would make it impossible for you to drive on UK roads or qualify for insurance until you made the necessary repairs to fix it.

It’s important to note as well that even though your insurance costs and road tax will not be affected by a Cat C or D car, the car will continue to have the classification even after it has changed hands. This could greatly affect the resale value of the vehicle should you choose to sell it later on.