Insurance write off catagories

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Vlad

MB Enthusiast
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May 30, 2003
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Location
Reading, England
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Various Mercs come and go
Can anybody please explain the differences in the write off catagories from Insurance companies.....the catagories in question being A, B, C, D

Am I right in thinking that with Cats C+D you can get the cars back on the road once they have had an engineers report...if so, whats involved in doing this and how much does it cost?

Many thanks
 
OK, comprehensive reply, but maybe out of date (but unlikely).

Cat A: Scrap only (ie. with no economically salvageable parts and which is of value only for scrap metal) eg. total burn outs.
Reappear: No
V23: Form V23 must be submitted to DVLA as soon as the categorisation decision is made and without waiting for V5. V23 in all cases regardless of PAV.
V5: The V5 should be recovered and sent to DVLA stamped "Total loss payment made" and clearly identified with the insurer's or salvage buyer's name. The "scrapped" indicator box should be ticked on the reverse of V5 for Category A and B salvage. A photocopy of the V5 should be given to the salvage buyer to assist in the identification of the salvage and the completion of the Notification of Destruction.
DVLA will not issue replacement V5 and will notify any request to the police.
MIAFTR: "Damaged beyond repair" (or "Fire" if total burn-out)
MIAFTR Notes: Salvage/vehicles in all four categories, together with vehicles stolen and not recovered must be notified to MIAFTR. MIAFTR must also be notified in every case when a vehicle has been recovered and, if appropriate, categorised as A, B, C or D. MIAFTR must be notified immediately when a vehicle's "loss type" has altered, whether because original notification was incorrect or status has changed.
HPI: All notifications to MIAFTR whether theft or damaged will be passed to HPI for a finance check. HPI will place Category A, B, C or D salvage/vehicles on its Vehicle Condition Alert Register (VCAR). If a Category C or D vehicle is repaired and passes an appropriate post-accident repair inspection then it will be transferred from VCAR to the vehicle condition inspected register.
If a stolen vehicle is recovered undamaged, or with damage which does not render it a total loss, then the insurer must notify MIAFTR of the recovery by amendment not deletion. This will have the effect of removing it completely from HPI's records.
NB Other databases are negotiating for access to and use of MIAFTR data. They will operate similar registration procedures.
Documentation: All insurer documentation to salvage dealers (eg invoices) in respect of individual items of salvage must categorise the salvage as either A, B, C or D.
Salvage Treatment: SALVAGE MUST BE CRUSHED. The vehicle identification number (VIN) plate must be removed at the earliest possible opportunity and either held in secure storage or securely disposed of. The stamped in VIN must be left in situ. Buyers of the salvage must complete and return to DVLA (with a copy to the insurer) a Notification of Destruction which confirms that the salvage has been/will be crushed. The vehicle must be de-identified immediately by the salvage buyer by removing all tax discs (old or new) and registration plates.

Cat B: Break for spare parts (plus any residual scrap metal).
Reappear: No
V23: Form V23 must be submitted to DVLA as soon as the categorisation decision is made and without waiting for V5. V23 in all cases regardless of PAV.
V5: The V5 should be recovered and sent to DVLA stamped "Total loss payment made" and clearly identified with the insurer's or salvage buyer's name. The "scrapped" indicator box should be ticked on the reveres of V5 for Category A and B salvage. A photocopy of the V5 should be given to the salvage buyer to assist in the identification of the salvage and the completion of the Notification of Destruction.
DVLA will not issue replacement V5 and will notify any request to the police.
MIAFTR: "Damaged beyond repair" (or "Fire" if total burn-out)
MIAFTR Notes: As Cat A
HPI: As Cat A
Documentation: As Cat A
Salvage Treatment: Category B must be treated as Category A once salvageable parts have been removed. The shell/frame/chassis must be crushed. Buyers of Category B salvage must complete and return to DVLA (with a copy to the insurer) a Notification of Destruction which confirms that shell/frame/chassis parts have been/will be crushed.

Cat C: Engineer's assessed repair costs exceed the vehicle's pre-accident value. Only vehicles with a PAV in excess of £2,000 come into this category (motorcycles over £1,000).
Reappear: Yes
V23: Form V23 must be submitted to DVLA as soon as the categorisation decision is made and without waiting for V5. V23 only when PAV over £2,000 (motorcycles over £1,000)
V5: The V5 should be recovered and sent to DVLA stamped "Total loss payment made" and clearly identified with the insurer's or salvage buyer's name. The "scrapped" indicator box should be ticked on the reverse of V5 for Category A and B salvage. A photocopy of the V5 should be given to the salvage buyer to assist in the identification of the salvage and the completion of the Notification of Destruction.
DVLA will notify any relicensing activity to police for investigation.
MIAFTR: "CTL"
MIAFTR Notes: As Cat A
HPI: As Cat A
Documentation: As Cat A
Salvage Treatment: To be sold on for repair.

Cat D: All other repairable vehicles.
Reappear: Yes
V23: Do not submit V23
V5: V5 can be passed onto new owner
MIAFTR: "Other"
MIAFTR Notes: As Cat A
HPI: As Cat A
Documentation: As Cat A
Salvage Treatment: To be sold on for repair.

Yep, engineer's report needed for Cat C & D. This should cost in the region of £100 (but don't hold me to that, as we haven't done them for a couple of years). If you're in the Cheshire/Manchester area, I can put you in touch with a suitable engineer. If not, I think the AA/RAC can do inspections. Of course, the insurers need to be notified.

Cheers
Andrew
 
Wow.........thanks for that great response.

Many thanks
 
Interesting question, how do insurers work out a total loss on a collectors/vintage car. The premiums are usually much lower than a normal car, and also based on agreed valuation, which in some cases can be quite high.
 
Vlad: as you're in Reading, you won't really have a use for an engineer in Cheshire (Sorry, missed that on your profile :rolleyes: )

Geoff: I would say that the answer is in your question: agreed valuation. Clearly, the agreed valuation has to be based on solid footings and the engineer/assessor would gather evidence to substantiate the valuation, i.e., previous inspections, auctions, AutoTrader, specialist magazines, etc.

I think that is a pretty speciailist field though, so the assessors may have their own way of doing things.

We used to subscribe to a supplementary Glass's Guide publication, "Older Car Values", or something like that, but it only went back about 20 years. Anything older and it was time to hit the books! :)
 
Possibly the car turned up after the insurance company had paid out for it.
 

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