Salvage vehicles will be categorised as S and N S=Structural Damage N= Non Structural

[NoMargin 11]

Important changes to the ABI Codes

The rules governing the way the UK salvage industry works are changing. Many of these changes will be 'behind the scenes' but the most obvious for our salvage customers will be the salvage categories.

These changes are happening because, following the end of VIC in 2015 and because of concerns about new vehicle materials and technology, the ABI (Association of British Insurers) updated its Salvage Code of Practice - the rules by which the UK salvage industry works.

These new changes start to come into effect on 1st October 2017.

In preperation for this change, we have introduced both category 'N' and 'S' in the filter menus on the vehicle list page.

The most visible change for salvage buyers will be to the 'repairable' categories:

* OUT go repairable categories C and D 
* IN come repairable categories S and N 

The reason for this is that the new salvage categories S and N will reflect the type of damage to the vehicle, making it more transparent for customers.

The non-repairable categories A and B remain.

At present, whether repairable salvage is categorised as C or D depends on the cost of repair compared to the pre-accident value. This will no longer be the case. Under the new system the category will simply depend on the type of damage, without any comparison of the cost and value.

Salvage with damage to the structural parts (realignment to original dimensions or replacement of frame or chassis) of the vehicle will now be category S (S for Structural). As in the case of category C currently, insurers will destroy the V5C registration document and buyers will need to apply to DVLA for a replacement V5C. This will continue to be FREE OF CHARGE. The replaced V5C issued by DVLA WILL be annotated (as Category C currently is) but the wording will change, reflecting the new category definition, to: 'This vehicle has been salvaged because of structural damage but has been declared suitable for repair following a technical evaluation'.

Salvage that does not have any damage to structural parts will now be classed as Category N (N for Non-structural). As currently the case with Category D vehicles, the insurer does not have to destroy the V5C and should pass it on to the salvage agent. However, if the V5C or the green slip Is not available, an application to DVLA for a replacement V5C will be at the standard rate (currently £25). The reissued V5C will NOT be annotated.

To read more information about this change, you can download the Salvage Code of Practice [PDF] from the ABI website.

This is good news if you ever get a p/x salvage repaired or buy one 

[BHM 994]

Does that mean they are just swapping 2 letters for 2 different letters?

[umesh 336]

Sheer Madness !! More complications and sadly many more innocent consumers will get caught out !

[It's me 615]

5 hours ago, tradex said:

Yup. Someone got paid a fortune for that idea

yes they had meetings on meetings to sort it out

or was that the nhs

[NoMargin 11]

15 hours ago, BHM said:

Does that mean they are just swapping 2 letters for 2 different letters?

No cat C/D cars could have had any amount of structural damage to the chassis, frame. People sometimes automatically think that all cat c cars had structural damage, and all cat D cars had none, not true. There are cat D cars that have been bent so badly they should never be repaired and there are cat c cars that have light deep scratches  on the side. It will put to bed all those dodgy salvage dealers that pull a cat D car straight then sell the same car as salvage claiming it had no chassis damage. So basically when it has an S there's no hiding from the fact the car has had structural damage. 

[have a word with the wife 299]

9 hours ago, NoMargin said:

No cat C/D cars could have had any amount of structural damage to the chassis, frame. People sometimes automatically think that all cat c cars had structural damage, and all cat D cars had none, not true. There are cat D cars that have been bent so badly they should never be repaired and there are cat c cars that have light deep scratches  on the side. It will put to bed all those dodgy salvage dealers that pull a cat D car straight then sell the same car as salvage claiming it had no chassis damage. So basically when it has an S there's no hiding from the fact the car has had structural damage. 

correct 

On 28/09/2017 at 9:19 PM, NoMargin said:

Salvage with damage to the structural parts (realignment to original dimensions or replacement of frame or chassis) of the vehicle will now be category S (S for Structural).

is not correct ! this is VERY misleading its actually =  has sustained damage to any part of the structural frame or chassis and the insurer/ self-insured owner has decided not to repair the vehicle !

so whats the value of a vehicle stating structual damage ? 

and how much will your insurance increase when the companies [insurance] dont get the returns [ high] expected when they cat s a vehicle ? 

384,000 vehicles were written off last year, amounting to over 1,000 every day, or one every 90 seconds

[NoMargin 11]

6 minutes ago, have a word with the wife said:

correct 

is not correct ! this is VERY misleading its actually =  has sustained damage to any part of the structural frame or chassis and the insurer/ self-insured owner has decided not to repair the vehicle !

so whats the value of a vehicle stating structual damage ? 

and how much will your insurance increase when the companies [insurance] dont get the returns [ high] expected when they cat s a vehicle ? 

384,000 vehicles were written off last year, amounting to over 1,000 every day, or one every 90 seconds

Misleading just as much as when a car hasn't had any structural damage and the insurer decides not to repair. There would be no value in a repaired cat s car nows, but with these salvage auction and overseas buyers, and the cat N cars that will fetch much higher money now, I think insurers will be rubbing their hands with glee!

[have a word with the wife 299]

On 29/09/2017 at 0:29 AM, NoMargin said:

Misleading just as much as when a car hasn't had any structural damage and the insurer decides not to repair. There would be no value in a repaired cat s car nows, but with these salvage auction and overseas buyers, and the cat N cars that will fetch much higher money now, I think insurers will be rubbing their hands with glee!

cant find the link but a major salvage dealer pulled out 100 cat  d vehicles from there compound in a trial, reinspecting them with regard to looking at the new salvage codes and found that 70% of cat d would be "s" and reported to insurance companies there findings before this new legislation, the salvage company quite rightly said to these companies they cant quote values on cat s [ obviously not as much as cat d ] the market will value it itself in the coming months, it was a warning 

[NoMargin 11]

10 hours ago, have a word with the wife said:

cant find the link but a major salvage dealer pulled out 100 cat  d vehicles from there compound in a trial, reinspecting them with regard to looking at the new salvage codes and found that 70% of cat d would be "s" and reported to insurance companies there findings before this new legislation, the salvage company quite rightly said to these companies they cant quote values on cat s [ obviously not as much as cat d ] the market will value it itself in the coming months, it was a warning 

Would like to see if they done the same with their cat c cars, because I'm sure more than half of those cat c cars would end up as 'N', but then they will be the older cars. Salvage online companies can no longer hide the fact a cat d car has substantial structural damage, so think its a good think all in all, for consumers!

[BHM 994]

I think I'll leave the write-offs for others, as I've always done. They've never seemed worth the hassle to me when there are enough straight cars out there.

The only time I've sold plonkers is when I've had a couple as p/xs and God Give Me Strength!!! The number of stupid questions by fussy bastards wanting something for nowt was incredible.

I suspect the main market for them is Gumtree, Facebook etc. -  UNDECLARED!! 

[metcars 397]

Sorry to drag this old thread up but after a recent conversation with a guy about his car, and as I understand it, the new rules state that a 'Cat N stuctural' has a note on the V5 whereas a 'Cat N non structural' does not. But, they are 'both' still recorded as salvage/writeoffs all the same, and a Cat N non stuctural is still flagged as Cat N?

[andymc1973 199]

yup its really simplified things

[David Ayers 171]

31 minutes ago, met said:

the new rules state that a 'Cat N stuctural

Shouldn't that be Cat S structural?

[metcars 397]

1 hour ago, David Ayers said:

Shouldn't that be Cat S structural?

I have no idea? Apparently one gets shown on the log book and the other doesn't but both are recorded as write offs anyway?

[Arfur Dealy 823]

Cat N = Non Structural

Cat S = Structural 

[metcars 397]

22 minutes ago, Arfur Dealy said:

Cat N = Non Structural

Cat S = Structural 

OK, so now we've cleared that up, apparently one of them is 'noted' on the V5 the other is not. What is not clear is whether they are both still classified as 'right offs', otherwise what is the point of having two different categories?

[Arfur Dealy 823]

Both categories S & N are write offs, for whatever reason chosen by the insurance company. S = Structural is stated on the V5, non structural N isn't...Just like C & D.

 

[NoMargin 11]

6 hours ago, met said:

OK, so now we've cleared that up, apparently one of them is 'noted' on the V5 the other is not. What is not clear is whether they are both still classified as 'right offs', otherwise what is the point of having two different categories?

They use to put cat c cars on the logbook but not cat d's... But I get what your saying met, they should just put both on logbook, as they are both write offs

[metcars 397]

5 hours ago, NoMargin said:

They use to put cat c cars on the logbook but not cat d's... But I get what your saying met, they should just put both on logbook, as they are both write offs

I can't see why Cat N are not noted in the V5. Because same as Cat S, as soon as it goes on AT it will show up as a write off?

[NoMargin 11]

Well this is the DVLA we're talking about here. :)) 

On 09/02/2018 at 8:03 AM, met said:

I can't see why Cat N are not noted in the V5. Because same as Cat S, as soon as it goes on AT it will show up as a write off?

[vloot 0]

On 9/28/2017 at 9:19 PM, NoMargin said:

As in the case of category C currently, insurers will destroy the V5C registration document and buyers will need to apply to DVLA for a replacement V5C. This will continue to be FREE OF CHARGE.

That's what you would think if you look at the .gov website.

However I had a Cat S recently and the insurer refused to accept the V5C and DVLA said it didn't want to issue a new V5C!

 

Edited January 31, 2020 by vloot
grammar

[MrC 142]

Only last week my Mum decided she didnt like the bumper on her 17k mile  2010 KA Zetec, I kid you not the OSF bumper has scuffs and a small crack but they wrote it off. Shes 85 and actually decided to hang up her driving gloves and take the £3900..

 

Salvage price was £1130..... well it seemed rude not to. Plenty of preloved in colour genuine bumpers on ebay for £150 ish and a mornings work should sort it.

 

Never ceases to fail me what insurance companies deem as a write off 

[Casper 272]

1 hour ago, MrC said:

Only last week my Mum decided she didnt like the bumper on her 17k mile  2010 KA Zetec, I kid you not the OSF bumper has scuffs and a small crack but they wrote it off. Shes 85 and actually decided to hang up her driving gloves and take the £3900..

 

Salvage price was £1130..... well it seemed rude not to. Plenty of preloved in colour genuine bumpers on ebay for £150 ish and a mornings work should sort it.

 

Never ceases to fail me what insurance companies deem as a write off 

A turn is a turn got to be done