Cat C Car Insurance Write-Offs: What Is A Cat C Car?

👉 What Is Cat C?

👉 What Damage Is Cat C?

👉  How Does A Cat C Affect Car Insurance?

👉 Is A Cat C Car Cheap To Buy?

👉 Should I Buy A Cat C Car?

👉 Cat C FAQs

What Is Cat C?

Cat C is a type of car insurance write-off. Different categories are assigned to different cars in the event of a write-off, and Cat C is just one of six different levels. In a Cat C write-off, the car has sustained serious damage, and repairing the car will cost more than it is worth.

In this situation, the car tends to be scrapped as it makes no sense to the owner to pay for repairs. If your car is declared Cat C, it isn’t the end of the road; you can pay for repairs, just be aware that this will cost more than just scrapping the car and going for a new option. Let’s take a look at examples of Cat C damage.

What Damage Is Cat C?

With a Cat C usually resulting in a total write-off, the level of damage is usually severe. This could be anything from flooding, fire or road collisions that leave the car substantially damaged.

Cat C damage is considered to be one of the more serious write-offs, as cars in this bracket tend to cost more to repair than they are worth. In saying this, there are plenty of Cat C cars on the road, so it’s not all doom and gloom, just be prepared to pay a significant figure to get it back roadworthy.

How Does Cat C Impact Car Insurance?

Cat C is reserved for cars that have sustained significant damage in the past. To an insurer, this presents a massive risk, as issues could return in future. Even with a clean bill of health, insurance premiums will either be incredibly high on a Cat C, or you might struggle to get insurance entirely. This should be factored into a purchase, as insurance rates will be much lower for the exact same model with no previous issues.

Are Cat C Cars Cheaper To Buy?

Now for some better news: Cat C cars are cheaper to buy than non-damaged alternatives. In some cases, a write-off car can be 40% cheaper than the same model without any previous issues, so there’s some benefit to going for a Cat S car.

Bear in mind, though, these savings are quickly eliminated by a higher insurance premium.

Should I Buy A Cat C Car?

If a previously Cat C car has been repaired to a great standard and past issues haven’t re-occurred, a Cat C car could be a good option. It’s important to factor the financial back and forth involved with a Cat C car and consider opting for an external opinion from a qualified mechanic. Running an extra vehicle inspection will cost you, but it could save you from choosing a car that’s just going to fail you in future.

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Cat C FAQs