BX16V.com Forum

Hi

I've recently bought a 16V but can't get insurance for it as it's listed on the insurance databases as having been a cat B write off in the past. It's undergone a VOSA VIC 20 check which I have the certificate for. I've been unsuccessful in finding someone to insure it, as it technically should not have returned to the road. I can't see why it was a cat B write off. The car has a few electrical gremlins but the engine is very good. It still very responsive and not at all smoky, I expect this engine it will go to 250K like my red one did. I'll try and get some photos posted. I feel it's destined for the puggers, but I'd rather someone on hear had it for the parts for another 16V. I payed £550 for it and drove it for a week, so will accept slightly less, although I reserve the write to remove the almost full tank of Vpower and CD player if people want to offer silly money. I don't have space to break it myslef so offers for the car only please. Note it's taxed, MOT's and drives. It just needs someone who will take on a VOSA cleared catB write off.

I'll also greatful if anyone can give me some advise on how to get insurance for it.

This was taken just after the incident



This is from after the repair



Jonsgot

P.S. I'll be on the look out for another 16V as the GM MPV I've got now doesn't really tick the box for me. If anyone knows of a phase 2 16V for sale please PM me.

Hi,

Is this Ollie's old car by any chance

Mike P

Ollie, my wife and I have all owned this car.

I viewed this car over the summer (before buying my Phase 1 back) and I remember it having signs of a repair to the drivers side rear arch but nothing that indicated a Cat B write off

Mike P

sounds a lot more a cat D than B,

info from honest john,

Home » FAQs » insurance
QINSURANCE: When is an Insurance Damage 'Write Off' not written off? How do a get a fair payment if my car is written off? What is Credit Hire?
AVCAR was the old name for an Insurance Damage Write-off.

A 'write off' is a colloquial term for a vehicle which has been declared a total loss by an insurer, either following accident damage or theft. There are some 450,000 accident-related write-offs every year and another 150,000 insurance thefts, many of which are subsequently recovered damaged and re-classified. Many write-offs are legitimately allowed back on the roads following a repair; the safest ones to buy are those which have passed an independent vehicle inspection, such as those on HPI's Condition Inspected register. However, almost half of all write-offs are so badly damaged that qualified insurance inspectors determine that they should never go back on the road. To assist the industry and the used car buyer, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has since 1997 provided the following classification of damage to vehicles that have been deemed an insurance write-off:

o Category A:

Scrap only - this vehicle should be crushed. It should never reappear on the road and there are no economically salvageable parts. It is of value only for scrap metal - e.g. a totally burnt-out vehicle.

o Category B:

The bodyshell should be crushed. The vehicle should never reappear on the road, but it can be broken for spare parts plus any residual scrap metal.

o Category C:

Vehicle extensively damaged and insurer has decided not to repair. May be repaired and put back on the road. Has to pass an inspection costing £36 (2007 price) to be re-registered as damaged repaired.

o Category D:

Vehicle damaged and insurer has decided not to repair. When fixed can be re-registered as damaged repaired.

Think of Cat D like this example:

A car is worth £6,000, but sustains some minor cosmetic damage.

The damage will cost £2,500 for an (inflated price) insurance repair that includes the cost of a courtesy car for the owner while the repair takes place.

But the insurer can sell the car off as it is for £4,000.

So the insurer 'writes it off' as a Cat D, saving itself £500, even though the car may be perfectly drivable and suffers only cosmetic damage.

o Category F:

Vehicle damaged by fire and insurer has decided not to repair. When fixed can be re-registered as damaged repaired.

I'd have to ask what tells you it's a "Cat B"???

Category B write offs shouldn't be on the road, this doesn't meant it physically CAN'T be put back on the road but it's unlikely. VOSA will inspect anything you're willing to pay the fee for, so that's not a fair representation.

To have been a Cat B it would have had to have been SERIOUSLY damaged, i.e. rolled or sandwiched, the only realistic difference between A and B is that A is usually reserved for fatal accidents. So, i doubt that a cat B'd BX would be fixable.

Doesn't matter where you go for insurance, to them it's a death trap that should be crushed.

I think it's a CatB because AXA told me it was when I tried to insure it with them.

It had a rear end shunt when my wife owned it in 2005. The back end shifted slightly but not enough to stop any doors shutting. The rear bumper and the panel covering the rear wheel was replaced, the car was pulled and had the chassis was re-enforced with extra steal where it had shifted. It should have never been a cat B write off, but I think the insurance inspector was pissed with me because I wouldn't take £275 for a car I had paid £750 for. I recall him offering me £600 if it went down as CatB or £550 if it was CatC. I'm not sure why but this works our cheaper for the insurance company. At the time it was going to be broken so this wasn't an issue. Then Ollie saw the damage and couldn't see why it couldn't be fixed. I then paid £50 for the salvage and $70 for storage. It is clear on DVLA records due to the VOSA check.

If the VOSA check isn't worth anything then VOSA checks aren't worth anything.

I'm think I either need to

1)break it
2)export it
3)Get the write off cat changed or removed - just to sure how
4)change the plates


I'm just not sure if the last one will clear it in insurance terms or is legal.

You really need to get a car like the bx on a classic insurance with an agreed value just incase the worst should ever happen , I've got my Zx16v on one myself as a normal insurance company will offer you next to nothing on a 15/20+ year old car , Mark

jonsgot wrote:
1)break it
2)export it
3)Get the write off cat changed or removed - just to sure how
4)change the plates


I'm just not sure if the last one will clear it in insurance terms or is legal.

1) Yes
2) Yes
3) Reclassification is not possible.
4) Won't make any difference, it's history remains unaffected.

If the accident happened in 2005, how has it been insured since?

The fact it's taxed and Mot'ed infers it's not a cat B you could not tax or insure it otherwise. The DVLA check these things and only if it's insured ad moted and not written off do they issue a tax disc.

Have you checked directly with the DVLA and asked them ?

SimonA wrote:The fact it's taxed and Mot'ed infers it's not a cat B you could not tax or insure it otherwise. The DVLA check these things and only if it's insured ad moted and not written off do they issue a tax disc.

Actually, they don't check any of that in order to Tax a car. Infact, you can quite easily tax a stolen or written-off car, and an MOT will be issued for any car that passes one. They only check that YOU have the insurance certificate with you (i.e they don't check the computer as it may not be accurate or up-to-date) and the check YOU have the MOT with you (again, not the computer as it may have only passed it's test 5 minutes ago).

The only people who'll have a problem is the insurers, such is the case here. Even the police won't know about the write off and as such provided it's insured, MOT'd & Taxed they'll leave you alone too.

I was referring to taxing it online, they check the MOT and insurance databases and will not issue a tax disc unless you pass.

SimonA wrote:The fact it's taxed and Mot'ed infers it's not a cat B you could not tax or insure it otherwise. The DVLA check these things and only if it's insured ad moted and not written off do they issue a tax disc.

Have you checked directly with the DVLA and asked them ?

I've done the on line thing but there is nothing listed, because it's had a VOSA check. How do I check with DVLA?

jayw wrote:

jonsgot wrote:
1)break it
2)export it
3)Get the write off cat changed or removed - just to sure how
4)change the plates


I'm just not sure if the last one will clear it in insurance terms or is legal.

1) Yes
2) Yes
3) Reclassification is not possible.
4) Won't make any difference, it's history remains unaffected.

If the accident happened in 2005, how has it been insured since?

Not all insurers do these checks, but most of them do them if there is a cliam made. Ollie's been lucky he hasn't needed to.

Its been on a motor trade policy most of the time but has been insured by friends normally at least twice since!! maybe their insurance just never checked! more importantly the CAt B is obviously wrong so how can we have it changed? do the data base people have any procedure? and if so what?

At the moment its out on loan again and is still listed on my policy so no practical problem, its just what to do to get it into a normal system

Ollie