Doesn't take much to write one off...

[Haylands]

An enthusiastic young lad on a big motorbike got all excited with his twistgrip, he hit the front door, rear door, rear wing, bumper and wheel.... He then decided he had a better place to be and took off, he had one of the small motorcycle number plates which are just too small to read in your mirrors...

Never mind, it's what I pay protected no claims for... Anyway, after a phone call to the insurance they wrote it off there and then...

It was mint pre accident...

I've asked to buy the salvage and will get it fixed as it's in such nice condition otherwise.

I've taken my private plate off just in case they record it as a CAT B, which is very unlikely, but you lose the rights to the cherished plate if they do..!!

At least it's still drivable and it's aircon is soooo cold...

[m4rkw]

Looks like just scratches and a small dent? I don't think I'd have bothered claiming for that

[m4rkw]

That sucks though, any CCTV around so you can try to catch the scrote?

[rayaans]

Yh probably wouldnt have claimed for that - I dont know what your excess is but you might find that the damage would be relatively easy to fix 

[m4rkw]

Two panels undented and sprayed for cash is ballpark £500 I reckon, depreciation due to the cat marker plus insurance excess and possibility of a higher premium I would guess would be more than that but who knows.

Then again I banged the rear of mine once being stupid at a petrol station with music up too loud and just got it fixed for cash and it's obvious looking at it that it's been repainted. I don't really care though 🙂

[Haylands]

No CCTV, not much of an excess, at nearly 20 years old it's lost all it's money, being a CAT N (which is what it will probably be) won't make much odds... and I'm not driving around with a damaged car. It'll get repaired and I'll make a few quid on the price difference between the payout and the repair, it's a win all around... What's the point of fully comp insurance if you are not going to claim...??

[Spottedlaurel]

Sorry to see this, but definitely looks worth keeping! Imagine how much it would be to go and find one that you trust, especially in the current market.

[Flytvr]

If it's a write off, don't insurance companies offer you the chance to buy it off them for peanuts?

[m4rkw]

28 minutes ago, Haylands said:

What's the point of fully comp insurance if you are not going to claim...??

Depends on the circumstances and like you say whether the car is worth anything

[RXtoNX]

I hope you don’t get a nasty shock at renewal time 🙏. With some insurance companies the protected ncb is not all it seems.
Doesn’t stop them deciding you have become a much higher risk due to a claim and hence loading the gross premium before ncb deduction.

As others have said, may have been worth costing up the repairs before claiming

[Haylands]

1 hour ago, Flytvr said:

If it's a write off, don't insurance companies offer you the chance to buy it off them for peanuts?

Yes, that's what I am doing....

1 hour ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Sorry to see this, but definitely looks worth keeping! Imagine how much it would be to go and find one that you trust, especially in the current market.

Thank you precisely what I thought...

36 minutes ago, RXtoNX said:

I hope you don’t get a nasty shock at renewal time 🙏. With some insurance companies the protected ncb is not all it seems.
Doesn’t stop them deciding you have become a much higher risk due to a claim and hence loading the gross premium before ncb deduction.

As others have said, may have been worth costing up the repairs before claiming

Funnily enough the renewal is next week and it is significantly cheaper than last year...

[Haylands]

Look guys, I just thought you might find it interesting to see what will write a car off these days...

For me it is a no brainer, make a claim, fix the car up properly and keep it... I am fully aware of how it works and how insurance companies work. I will not be out of pocket, even when future values etc are taken into account...

The payout is so small it will make little difference to the insurance renewal, yes they will load it but this is based on cost and as I said the renewal is cheaper than last year...

It's got to the bottom of it's depreciation and cars of this ilk sell on condition and this one was, and will be, near mint, the only thing that lets it down at the moment is the bonnet which will be painted at the same time. I have a local guy I use and the cost has already been discussed. One wheel needs refurbishing as well.

The car will be returned to excellent condition and I have a nice car to drive around in...

I will list how much it costs when it's done, in the meantime thanks for the concern but don't worry, it's all in hand...

 

[Spottedlaurel]

Are the values being offered by insurance companies reflecting the higher price of used cars at present? On the basis that they usually offer "market value" they ought to be.

The only car I've had written-off was an old Toyota estate that got hit up the back, it was obvious then that would be the case due to the cost of replacement parts. I had a nominal amount knocked off the settlement figure so I could keep it, then I replaced the tailgate with a spare panel I already had and got another three years or so out of it.

The only implication of it being recorded as a wite-off was that my insurers wouldn't give it agreed value insurance (it was old enough to be on my classic policy).

[b4u2]

@HaylandsI have also noticed in the past that insurance are quick to write off especially older cars.

[Bluemarlin]

It's cheaper for them to do so, as not only is the cost of repair likely to be close to the car's value, there's also the cost of a like for like loan car while it's being fixed. The latter can run into thousands if you have what's considered a luxury car, even if it's old.

[LenT]

14 hours ago, Haylands said:

He then decided he had a better place to be and took off, he had one of the small motorcycle number plates which are just too small to read in your mirrors...

This would seem to be yet another real-life example of the value of having dashcams back and front.

Not much consolation now, of course.  But perhaps worth considering for the future.

[Malc]

so sorry to hear of your Cat N loss but pleased you'll get her fixed up for little money and make a cash sum profit from the deal

Couple of years ago my Ls400 was a Cat N write-off coz of a smacked rear door ...  open and close OK and zero difference to the car performance .  just a whack .  didn't even break the paint .  original is tough methinks 

BUT they tried heaven and earth to scrap her nontheless  .  she now owes me capital cost of £600 from 2011 purchase price of £1400 .....  no EV or other car purchase could compete with that, especially as i still have a happy family of moths inhabiting my wallet 

Malc