Accident query

Amoeba

Amoeba

Amoeba

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11 Sep 2005
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Southport
If one is involved in a non-fault accident, what is the position with write offs? I had previously read that you can insist to have the vehicle repaired regardless of cost but having done some of my own research this doesn't seem to be the case.

Anyone with experience of this?
 
You must be put back into the position you were in prior to the accident. In many cases this means you can push for a repair - after all, before the accident you had a Car A not a cheque for its value. But of course in law you must be reasonable, so no, you cant have £10,000 of work done on your B reg Nova.
 
What's the source for that?

Edit - that came across a bit unintentionally arsey.. sorry! I just meant that I've been looking for something like that but am struggling to find anything of any real worth :(
 
I think Betterment covers this.
Betterment is the term used when property is repaired which results in it being in a better condition than before the incident. Consequentially insurers may ask the client to contribute to the cost of the repair. The contribution is referred to as betterment.

Car insurance provides indemnity insurance. Indemnity insurance is the undertaking to restore the client to the same financial position they were in before the loss occurred. If, before the loss, the car had 2 thread bare tyres and now, as a result of the repairs, it has 2 brand new tyres the client is asked to contribute to the cost of putting the car into a better position. (If the tyres had contributed to the cause of the incident the claim could be repudiated on the grounds that the car was not in a roadworthy condition.)
Click to expand...

Basically the same as Fox said, you cannot repair a car whatever the cost it must be seen and resonable and doest not put you in a better postion.
 
Thanks for that, but as far as I understand that doesn't stipulate what would happen if the car was deemed uneconomical to repair and the insurers wanted to write it off.
 
Depends on the catagory of the Write off that it is deemed.

Category A - Must be crushed. All of it.
Category B - Vehicle may not be returned to road but parts may be sold.
Category C - Repairable. Significant damage. Cost of the repair is more than book value of vehicle at dealer rates.
Category D - Repairable. Probably non-structural damage. May have been economic to repair, but insurer doesn't want to.
Category X - Repairable. Minor Damage

At C and D you can opt to have it repaired with your Total Loss settlement (minus salvage) however, it clearly will affect the value and insurablility of the vehicle.
 
Last edited:
Pleh said:
I think Betterment covers this.


Basically the same as Fox said, you cannot repair a car whatever the cost it must be seen and resonable and doest not put you in a better postion.
Click to expand...


Actually that's not at all what Fox said.

Say Car A had been damaged. Book cost is £2,000. Cost to repair is £4,000. The insurers would then most likely try to give you the £2,000 to buy a new car although you're entitled to have Car A repaired to its original standard.

The point is there must be a line drawn realistically when the cost to repair outweighs the car value to such a degree that it becomes onerous on the insurer to repair the car.
 
The reason I ask is somebody on the SX owners board has been shunted on a roundabout. Not major damage like but enough to start worrying about write offs due to the relatively low value of S14as.

I just wondered if there were any 'rules' which could be used to ensure it doesn't, as obviously he doesn't want that to happen!
 
Cat D you could probably challenge, but ultimately insurers have set percentages of value to which they will allow a vehicle to be repaired under policy. It would be about you being reasonable. Demanding your car is repaired when it will cost £4,000 to repair and its worth £2.000 is not reasonable or economical in their eyes. If you car is worth £2000 and it costs £2100 to repair it will depend on the insurer if they will repair it without writing it off.

It will come down to Book value of the car versus what you think it is worth, it would be up to you to prove them wrong.
 
Hmmm, the car is modified, so is obviously worth more than the book price.

Anyway, not my problem as it's not my car -- was just curious as to what the situation was!

Thanks guys
 
Fox is correct.

I had my freshly painted modded Sierra Sapphire crashed into by a taxi driver and his insurance valued the car @ £900 and £2500 to repair so they subsequently tried to write the car off. I argued that as the car was perfectly safe to repair they should repair the car to the condition it was in before the accident in order that I would not suffer any detriment resulting from thier clients detriment.

I won after 4 months of arguing and involving the insurance ombudsman. They sent me a cheque for £2500 after asking if I was happy to arrange my own repairs. I was and got it repaired for £1500 and pocketed £1000 :-)
 
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