Hi all
As you can read in the title, my car (Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 SXI) was damaged as a result of an attempt to break in. The upper part of the front passenger door is now bent outwards, so that door needs replacement.
I phoned my insurance and to my surprise and disappointment they said that my car is to be treated as a total loss. The registration is 53 so I understand the car is old and low value. Mileage is only 15K though, as I have driven my car only occasionally since I moved to London. Insurer gave evaluation of 1800 pounds, which is fair, I believe.
insurer assigned to my car a Cat C damage category, meaning that the cost of repairing the car exceeds the car value. I DO NOT believe that replacing a door costs more than 1800 pounds: it's outrageous !
I want to keep the car ( which is perfect, believe me...) so I informed the insurer and they came up with this proposal:
Car value: 1800 pounds
minus 35 % of car value, equal to 630 pounds
minus Excess equal to 150 pounds
As a result I can keep my car and receive 1020 pounds to fix it, but Having a car written off and classified as Cat C damage for such a ridiculous damage is nonsense...
In addition, my insurer said they already notified DVLA of the Cat C damage category: They did not even wait for my decision... Can they notify DVLA before I accept the settlement???
I really need advice... I have done my homework and spent a lot of time on the Internet but I am still confused...
Tomorrow I plan to contact one of the official Vauxhall repairers and get a quote for replacing the passenger front door. This will allow me to understand whether the Cat C is correct or not.
My questions are:
is it worth disputing the Category damage and propose a Cat D rather than a Cat C?
Can I dispute the total loss of my car and demand that they repair it without writing it off?
What are the consequences of keeping a Cat C vehicle in terms of insurance premium and any damages that may occur in future?
Should I contact theDVLA and inform them that the settlement with the insurer has not been accepted yet?
Can I drive my car if a Cat C damage has been assigned? I have read somewhere that I should not drive it until it gets repaired and until I get a new V5 log certificate and a new MOT.
Ridiculous, simply ridiculous: So much hassle for something that could have been resolved easily without involving the insurance... Apparentlythis type of malicious damage is quite common... Local garage said that other cars were targeted in this area...
I hope the length of this post has not discouraged readers and I look forward to receiving your advices/ Opinions!
As you can read in the title, my car (Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 SXI) was damaged as a result of an attempt to break in. The upper part of the front passenger door is now bent outwards, so that door needs replacement.
I phoned my insurance and to my surprise and disappointment they said that my car is to be treated as a total loss. The registration is 53 so I understand the car is old and low value. Mileage is only 15K though, as I have driven my car only occasionally since I moved to London. Insurer gave evaluation of 1800 pounds, which is fair, I believe.
insurer assigned to my car a Cat C damage category, meaning that the cost of repairing the car exceeds the car value. I DO NOT believe that replacing a door costs more than 1800 pounds: it's outrageous !
I want to keep the car ( which is perfect, believe me...) so I informed the insurer and they came up with this proposal:
Car value: 1800 pounds
minus 35 % of car value, equal to 630 pounds
minus Excess equal to 150 pounds
As a result I can keep my car and receive 1020 pounds to fix it, but Having a car written off and classified as Cat C damage for such a ridiculous damage is nonsense...
In addition, my insurer said they already notified DVLA of the Cat C damage category: They did not even wait for my decision... Can they notify DVLA before I accept the settlement???
I really need advice... I have done my homework and spent a lot of time on the Internet but I am still confused...
Tomorrow I plan to contact one of the official Vauxhall repairers and get a quote for replacing the passenger front door. This will allow me to understand whether the Cat C is correct or not.
My questions are:
is it worth disputing the Category damage and propose a Cat D rather than a Cat C?
Can I dispute the total loss of my car and demand that they repair it without writing it off?
What are the consequences of keeping a Cat C vehicle in terms of insurance premium and any damages that may occur in future?
Should I contact theDVLA and inform them that the settlement with the insurer has not been accepted yet?
Can I drive my car if a Cat C damage has been assigned? I have read somewhere that I should not drive it until it gets repaired and until I get a new V5 log certificate and a new MOT.
Ridiculous, simply ridiculous: So much hassle for something that could have been resolved easily without involving the insurance... Apparentlythis type of malicious damage is quite common... Local garage said that other cars were targeted in this area...
I hope the length of this post has not discouraged readers and I look forward to receiving your advices/ Opinions!