What Cat C and Cat D meant
The AA's table of the old salvage categories:
| Old category | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A | Scrap or crush only, no economically salvageable parts, e.g. total burnouts |
| B | Break for spares and crush body-shell or chassis |
| C | Repairable but repair costs exceed pre-accident value |
| D | Repairable but repair costs don't exceed pre-accident value |
Source: The AA, Insurance write-offs: car damage categories
The AA adds the insurance terms: “actual loss” for categories A and B, and “constructive loss” for C and D (S and N today) — the ones that can be repaired. (The AA)
Why a Cat D car was written off at all
By its definition, a Cat D car's repair cost didn't exceed its value. The AA explains that an insurer doesn't only compare the repair cost with the car's market value: it also counts things like providing a courtesy car and administration costs, such as sending an inspection engineer. In the AA's words, “generally, any repairs that exceed around half to two-thirds of the value of the vehicle may lead the insurer to consider the car not worth repairing”. (The AA)
The AA's example of a Cat D: an insurer deciding it costs too much to replace a feature-packed door mirror on an older, low-value car — written off “for purely economic reasons”. (The AA)
What changed on 1 October 2017
The insurers' code of practice for vehicle salvage, coordinated by the Association of British Insurers, was updated with effect from 1 October 2017. It replaced A, B, C and D with A (Scrap), B (Break), S (structurally damaged, repairable) and N (non-structurally damaged, repairable), with “a greater focus on the condition of the vehicle rather than repair costs”. (Bodyshop magazine, 14 June 2017)
| Before 1 October 2017 | From 1 October 2017 |
|---|---|
| C — repairable, repair costs exceed pre-accident value | S — structurally damaged but repairable |
| D — repairable, repair costs don't exceed pre-accident value | N — non-structurally damaged but repairable |
Source: The AA. Today's categories and the log book: GOV.UK, Insurance write-offs
So an old Cat C was about cost and a Cat S is about structural damage; they aren't the same category under a new name, and neither are D and N. GOV.UK's write-offs page today lists only A, B, N and S. (GOV.UK) More on the current categories: Cat S, Cat N and all write-off categories.
The Vehicle Identity Check, 2003 to 2015
The Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001 gave the then Vehicle and Operator Services Agency the power to inspect “‘written off’ vehicles where the cost of repairing exceeds the market value of the car” — the old Cat C definition — and the Vehicle Identity Check (VIC) scheme was introduced in 2003. (Department for Transport consultation, 2012)
From the Department for Transport's announcement of 26 October 2015:
- from that day, drivers returning a written-off car to the road “will no longer need to apply for a Vehicle Identity Check”;
- the VIC had been introduced to stop vehicle ringing — swapping the identity of a car no longer economical to repair onto a stolen car of a similar make and model;
- a VIC cost £41; around a million checks were made in 12 years, with “only a handful” of actual cases of wrongdoing;
- after the change, DVLA would no longer issue a log book (V5C) for Category A and B vehicles.
Source: Department for Transport, DVLA and DVSA, 26 October 2015
Insuring a Cat C or Cat D car
- The AA: some companies will insure a Cat C or Cat D car, and are likely to ask for a new MOT and possibly an engineer's report; some insurers won't cover them, and others may charge more. (The AA)
- The Department for Transport's guide: insuring a previously written-off vehicle “can be more expensive”, and “not all insurers will automatically provide cover”. An insurer that isn't told the vehicle was a total loss “can reject any claim you may make on the grounds of non-disclosure”. (Department for Transport)
Buying or selling one
The AA says Cat C and Cat D cars are usually available at a lower price because of their damage history. (The AA) The Department for Transport's guide to buying a repaired written-off vehicle lists, among other checks: whether it has been properly repaired and is roadworthy, a report from an independent expert or engineer, a private history check, the vehicle identification number (VIN) against the log book, the MOT history and the service history. (Department for Transport)
From trading standards' guidance for businesses: a trader not telling a consumer that a car “has previously been an insurance write-off” is listed as a misleading omission under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. (Business Companion)
Cat C and Cat D cars on Motorwatchr
Motorwatchr shows a write-off category only when the advert, the seller or the site's own vehicle check gives it — with where it comes from, the seller's words quoted, and the link to the advert. Old categories are shown as given: Cat C stays Cat C. We never guess a category from photos or price.