[Misc] Buying a write off and having a smash

[Iggle Piggle]

Hi all, after help.

Last night my Mrs was very lucky. Joining the M40 by Warwick, she was unfortunate enough to be collected by a car that smashed into the central reservation and Boomeranged into her on the inside lane. Good news is that her and her friend are absolutely fine.

I've been dealing with the insurance today and have a few questions

1. The insurance are saying the car is a write off. It's a 2013 plate mini but it's a low mileage John Cooper works Mini which we both love. She won't get a similar car for the same money. What's the crack on buying the car off the insurance company? It looks fixable but I know f*** all about cars so appreciate I could be standing on a land mine.

2. I've got a call 8.00 on Monday when I'm told I'll be offered a value for the car. Are there any tactics? What value should I be seeking? The difference between Motorway and private selling are night and day.

3. As well as escaping unmarked from a high speed accident, the 2nd bit of luck was a recovery vehicle stopping and picking my Mrs and car up and taking them home. Bloke was a diamond and insurance will pay up for recovery they haven't invoiced as yet or even asked for as things stand. I gave the bloke 40 quid as a thankyou - it was my son's paper round money which was all I had in the house - a cup of tea and offered food and the like. I'd like to do more but any ideas welcome.

 

[Weststander]

Mrs.W’s car was an economic write off last year after a minor crash. The car payout was far in excess of its OMV. I only mention this to benchmark that the market is strong. I’d firmly negotiate, using replacement value evidence of similar cars.

 

[Affy]

Glad to hear all ok.

I work in insurance so feel free to DM if you need to.

In answer to above:
1. Write offs have various levels. A and B are structural and can’t be repaired. They either have to be scrapped or “broken”. C, D and S are “uneconomical to repair” meaning they can do but the. Cost to the insurer isn’t worth it against the car value.
You can ask to purchase the salvage but will need to ensure it is road worthy and all fixed correctly. Not all insurers will offer cover and the value significantly decreases. Never worth it in my opinion.

2. You need to establish market value. Research on autotrader, private ads, eBay etc the same make and model, year and mileage. Insurers will try to lowball you in the first instance. You will need to provide evidence of why they are wrong. The more examples you have the stronger your case is.

3. If the other driver left the scene it is a criminal offence. If you have uninsured loss recovery then you can ask them
To peruse if you have the reg etc.
Sounds like you got a good guy in the recovery. Find out who he works for and give the boss a call and big him up.

Afraid to say if your insurers can’t make a recovery from the third party you will be “at fault”. It isn’t the correct expression any more. It really should be “recovered or unrecovered”. Unrecovered may well affect your no claims.

 

[Arthritic Toe]

Yep you can do - its a standard offering. The key phrase is that you want to "retain salvage". Your payout will then be whatever the value of the car is, minus what they consider it to be worth in its written off condition, which should just be a few hundred quid scrap value.

You need to make it clear fairly early on that you are (or are considering) retaining salvage, otherwise, before you know it, some third party company appointed by your insurers will be along to collect it.

I recently had something similar (although squarely my fault). Mine is a 13 year old Renault Megane with 150k miles on it. I was gob-smacked when they valued it at £1,650. My payout was roughly 1650 minus my excess (350) minus salvage value (450 odd). So even though I'll lose 2 years no-claims bonus, I got about £800 net. The cost of fixing it was a £30 headlight from Ebay (I can live with the dented/cracked plastics). So basically that £800 can go against future increased premiums and I still reckon I'm up on the deal.

 

[Mr Bridger]

Another Mat Armstrong

 

[WATFORD zero]

Don't bother buying the write-off unless you're in the game as it sounds like fairly significant damage and don't accept first offer from Insurance company.

*edit* answered by the more qualified @Affy above while I was typing. Good luck.

 

[cjd]

I am quite interested in how this opening posts story develops.

I was in Newhaven a week last Monday just before queuing up to board the 11.00am ferry home to France. Unfortunately, a lady driving the car behind me drove into the back of my car. Just one of those things with unfortunate timing.

However within an hour, I had her insurance company on the phone saying their client accepted full responsibility and would I like a curtesy car during repairs etc etc etc.

The company ( Allianz) were very very helpful. I explained I was about to board the ferry and wouldn't be back in the UK for about 4 weeks. "No problem " was the reply, they will call me again nearer that time. All very good and civilised.

Here though is the problem. It is an old car with a re-sale value of £1500.00, but nonetheless a car I like. It is cheap to run on diesel ( especially in France ) and has been incredibly reliable for me over the six years I have had it...averaging about 20,000 miles per annum.

I suspect the damage caused will be in excess of £1500.00. I really do want to keep the car. I have a vague idea that there might be an engine somewhere in, or on the vehicle, but I never check it, or wash the car or clean it. It is just a vehicle I trust implicitly to get me from A to B. Will I have to scrap it, if it the cost to repair is in excess of £1500.00....?

The car is driveable and all lights etc function.

Any information and thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Arthritic Toe]

Glad to hear all ok.

I work in insurance so feel free to DM if you need to.

In answer to above:
1. Write offs have various levels. A and B are structural and can’t be repaired. They either have to be scrapped or “broken”. C, D and S are “uneconomical to repair” meaning they can do but the. Cost to the insurer isn’t worth it against the car value.
You can ask to purchase the salvage but will need to ensure it is road worthy and all fixed correctly. Not all insurers will offer cover and the value significantly decreases. Never worth it in my opinion.

2. You need to establish market value. Research on autotrader, private ads, eBay etc the same make and model, year and mileage. Insurers will try to lowball you in the first instance. You will need to provide evidence of why they are wrong. The more examples you have the stronger your case is.

3. If the other driver left the scene it is a criminal offence. If you have uninsured loss recovery then you can ask them
To peruse if you have the reg etc.
Sounds like you got a good guy in the recovery. Find out who he works for and give the boss a call and big him up.

Afraid to say if your insurers can’t make a recovery from the third party you will be “at fault”. It isn’t the correct expression any more. It really should be “recovered or unrecovered”. Unrecovered may well affect your no claims.

My experience wasnt that they tried to 'lowball' the value. They appointed an independent third party company to assess the value apparently using similar sources to those you have mentioned. As I mentioned, the £1650 valuation came as quite a surprise given the fact that it was on its last legs (wheels?) anyway...

Probably depends on the insurance company. Mine was one of the big well-known ones.

 

[bhafc99]

From the thread title, I thought you were planning on buying a written off car for a couple of quid just for the perverse thrill of then wrecking it!

 

[Affy]

I am quite interested in how this opening posts story develops.

I was in Newhaven a week last Monday just before queuing up to board the 11.00am ferry home to France. Unfortunately, a lady driving the car behind me drove into the back of my car. Just one of those things with unfortunate timing.

However within an hour, I had her insurance company on the phone saying their client accepted full responsibility and would I like a curtesy car during repairs etc etc etc.

The company ( Allianz) were very very helpful. I explained I was about to board the ferry and wouldn't be back in the UK for about 4 weeks. "No problem " was the reply, they will call me again nearer that time. All very good and civilised.

Here though is the problem. It is an old car with a re-sale value of £1500.00, but nonetheless a car I like. It is cheap to run on diesel ( especially in France ) and has been incredibly reliable for me over the six years I have had it...averaging about 20,000 miles per annum.

I suspect the damage caused will be in excess of £1500.00. I really do want to keep the car. I have a vague idea that there might be an engine somewhere in, or on the vehicle, but I never check it, or wash the car or clean it. It is just a vehicle I trust implicitly to get me from A to B. Will I have to scrap it, if it the cost to repair is in excess of £1500.00....?

The car is driveable and all lights etc function.

Any information and thoughts would be appreciated.

If repairs are over circa 60% of the market value then yes, it will be written off. Delays on parts coming from the EU post brexit mean people are in hire vehicles longer thus pushing up the cost of claims. Some parts are just not available so the insurer has no choice but to write off.


Third Party insurers are always keen to get there first so they can control the costs. They’re nice and likeable at the outset but they have their own interests in mind. Your insurers will get you a better deal as they won’t have to worry about the outlay as it should be recoverable.

I would suggest getting a quote for repairs and go from there.

 

[Affy]

My experience wasnt that they tried to 'lowball' the value. They appointed an independent third party company to assess the value apparently using similar sources to those you have mentioned. As I mentioned, the £1650 valuation came as quite a surprise given the fact that it was on its last legs (wheels?) anyway...

Probably depends on the insurance company. Mine was one of the big well-known ones.

That’s slightly unusual. Usually insurers have in house engineers who determine total loss value from Parker’s, Chaps and Browns etc. It’s basically a blue book guide with a range from poor to excellent. They usually go in the low end first. Sounds like you had a better experience than most and I wish it were more often like that as it would be a better process all round.

 

[Arthritic Toe]

I am quite interested in how this opening posts story develops.

I was in Newhaven a week last Monday just before queuing up to board the 11.00am ferry home to France. Unfortunately, a lady driving the car behind me drove into the back of my car. Just one of those things with unfortunate timing.

However within an hour, I had her insurance company on the phone saying their client accepted full responsibility and would I like a curtesy car during repairs etc etc etc.

The company ( Allianz) were very very helpful. I explained I was about to board the ferry and wouldn't be back in the UK for about 4 weeks. "No problem " was the reply, they will call me again nearer that time. All very good and civilised.

Here though is the problem. It is an old car with a re-sale value of £1500.00, but nonetheless a car I like. It is cheap to run on diesel ( especially in France ) and has been incredibly reliable for me over the six years I have had it...averaging about 20,000 miles per annum.

I suspect the damage caused will be in excess of £1500.00. I really do want to keep the car. I have a vague idea that there might be an engine somewhere in, or on the vehicle, but I never check it, or wash the car or clean it. It is just a vehicle I trust implicitly to get me from A to B. Will I have to scrap it, if it the cost to repair is in excess of £1500.00....?

The car is driveable and all lights etc function.

Any information and thoughts would be appreciated.

Tell them you want to "retain salvage". They generally wont offer it as an option until you mention it.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Yep you can do - its a standard offering. The key phrase is that you want to "retain salvage". Your payout will then be whatever the value of the car is, minus what they consider it to be worth in its written off condition, which should just be a few hundred quid scrap value.

You need to make it clear fairly early on that you are (or are considering) retaining salvage, otherwise, before you know it, some third party company appointed by your insurers will be along to collect it.

I recently had something similar (although squarely my fault). Mine is a 13 year old Renault Megane with 150k miles on it. I was gob-smacked when they valued it at £1,650. My payout was roughly 1650 minus my excess (350) minus salvage value (450 odd). So even though I'll lose 2 years no-claims bonus, I got about £800 net. The cost of fixing it was a £30 headlight from Ebay. So basically that £800 can go against future increased premiums and I still reckon I'm up on the deal.

I had a similar experience many years ago. I came into work in my 15 year old volvo, the dead days between Xmas and new year - and the whole deserted industrial estate was like an ice rink. Pulling out of the work car park at the end of the day, moving at literally around THREE miles an hour, the car just started very slowly sliding sideways - coming to a gentle halt against a concrete bollard.

The sum total of damage was a smashed headlight and a small dent in the front wing. According to the insurers the estimated £1,000 repair cost, was unviable. Given that most of the estimate was for panel beating / paintwork, to fix a dent that was smaller than multiple other existing *imperfections* around the bodywork, it was all a bit ridiculous.

I accepted an offer, had just the light replaced, and sold the car on almost immediately, about £800 up.

 

[BNthree]

From the thread title, I thought you were planning on buying a written off car for a couple of quid just for the perverse thrill of then wrecking it!

Same!

 

[Iggle Piggle]

In the interests of a picture tells a story

 

[Weststander]

If repairs are over circa 60% of the market value then yes, it will be written off. Delays on parts coming from the EU post brexit mean people are in hire vehicles longer thus pushing up the cost of claims. Some parts are just not available so the insurer has no choice but to write off.


Third Party insurers are always keen to get there first so they can control the costs. They’re nice and likeable at the outset but they have their own interests in mind. Your insurers will get you a better deal as they won’t have to worry about the outlay as it should be recoverable.

I would suggest getting a quote for repairs and go from there.

6 years ago a car ploughed into my 4 week old car. The idiot's insurers Hastings were onto me straight away offering their courtesy cars, I declined and stuck with LV. LV/a middleman management company/Enterprise Rent A Car arranged for me to have a Volvo XC60 for 6 weeks .... I hadn't been bothered what I had.

Bottom line, the rental bill ended up being £9k! You can see why what you describe, happens.

This led to a court case of Hastings v Enterprise, I was asked to be a witness, at Bristol County Court of all places. Settled the day before, thank goodness.

Not a victimless malarkey, premiums are higher.

 

[Affy]

In the interests of a picture tells a story

View attachment 198232View attachment 198233

I’m no engineer but I’d be surprised if that isn’t structural. The A frame and the chassis could well have lost their integrity.

 

[seagull_si]

I'm no expert but the damage looks like it is near the door column and would be considered structure damage.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

I told you all I knew f*** all about cars.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I had a driver go into the back of me at a roundabout. My car hardly looked dented, so he wanted to pay it himself, but I took it to my garage, where it turned out the boot floor had buckled.
We had exchanged details, and I‘d told my insurance company, and claimed off of his.