What Is a Car Insurance Write-Off?
When buying a used car in the UK, it’s essential to understand insurance write-off categories. If a vehicle has been written off by an insurer, it will be assigned a category that explains how badly it was damaged and whether it can legally return to the road. On this page, we explain all UK car write-off categories — including Category A, B, S and N — what they mean, and whether a written-off car is safe to buy.
A car is classed as a write-off when an insurance company decides that repairing it would cost more than the vehicle is worth, or that it is unsafe to repair. Even if a car looks fine, it may still have a hidden write-off history, which is why running a car history check before buying is crucial.
👉 A vehicle previously written-off will appear in a car history report.
🔸 Category A (Cat A)
- Most severe category
- Vehicle must be crushed entirely
- No parts can be salvaged
- Can never return to the road
- ✅ You should never encounter a Cat A car for sale legally.
🔸 Category B (Cat B)
- Serious structural damage
- Body shell must be crushed
- Some parts may be salvaged
- Car cannot be legally driven again
- ⚠️ Buying a Cat B vehicle for road use is illegal.
🔸 Category S (Cat S – Structural Damage)
- Introduced in October 2017
- Vehicle has structural damage
- Can be professionally repaired
- Can return to the road after repair
- ⚠️ Cat S cars:
- Often worth less than non-written-off cars
- May be harder to insure
- Should be inspected carefully before purchase
Category N (Cat N – Non-Structural Damage)
- No structural damage
- Damage may include:
- Electrical systems
- Brakes
- Steering
- Cosmetic panels
- Can be repaired and driven legally
- ✅ Cat N cars are generally considered lower risk than Cat S, but repairs should still be verified.
🔹 Old Write-Off Categories (Pre-2017)
- Before October 2017, insurers used:
- Category C → similar to Cat S
- Category D → similar to Cat N
- Older vehicles may still show these categories in checks.
🔹 Can You Insure a Written-Off Car?
- Yes — Category S and N cars can usually be insured, but:
- Premiums may be higher
- Some insurers require proof of repairs
- Comprehensive cover may be limited
- Cat A and Cat B cars cannot be insured for road use.
🔹 Should You Buy a Written-Off Car?
- Buying a written-off car is not always a bad idea, but you should:
- Know the exact category
- Understand the damage type
- Verify repairs
- Pay a lower price than market value
- A car history check will confirm if a vehicle has ever been written off.
🔹 Check a Car’s Write-Off History
- Before buying any used car, you should always run a vehicle history check to see:
- Write-off category
- Damage type
- Date of write-off
- Insurance records
- 👉 Run a car check with WhichCarCheck to see if a vehicle has been written off.
🔹 FAQ Section
- ❓ Can a Category S car be driven again?
- Yes, once professionally repaired and deemed roadworthy.
- ❓ What is the difference between Cat S and Cat N?
- Cat S involves structural damage, while Cat N is non-structural.
- ❓ Do write-offs show on a DVLA check?
- Yes, write-off information appears in vehicle history checks.
- ❓ Are written-off cars cheaper?
- Yes, but they usually have lower resale value and may be harder to insure.
384,000 vehicles written off a year in the uk, that's over 1000 a day, 1 every 90 seconds!
Don't get caught, check before you buy!