How to check if a car has been written off?
A car that has been written off by an insurer can still legally be repaired and sold on, but it carries a marker on its history that affects its value, its insurance, and in some cases whether it can be financed at all. This guide covers what the write-off categories actually mean, how to check whether a car you are looking at has one, and what it means for buying, insuring, and financing that car.
A car is written off when an insurer decides that repairing it after damage, whether from an accident, flood, fire, or theft, would cost more than the insurer is willing to pay relative to the car's value. The insurer pays out a settlement to the owner and the car is recorded as a total loss. What happens next depends on the category the damage falls into.
Some categories mean the car can never be put back on the road. Others mean the car can be repaired, re-registered, and driven legally again, but it will always carry the write-off marker on its history.
| Category | What it means | Can it be driven again? |
| Cat A | The most severe category. The whole car must be crushed, including all parts. | No, cannot be repaired or have parts reused. |
| Cat B | The body shell must be crushed, but some parts may be salvaged and reused. | No, the vehicle itself cannot return to the road. |
| Cat S (was Cat C) | Structural damage was sustained, but the car can be repaired to a roadworthy standard. | Yes, once repaired and passed an inspection. |
| Cat N (was Cat D) | Non-structural damage. The car was uneconomical to repair for the insurer, but the structure was not affected. | Yes, often with relatively straightforward repairs. |
Cat S and Cat N replaced the older Cat C and Cat D categories in 2017. You will still see all four terms used, particularly on older vehicle history reports, and they refer to broadly the same distinctions: structural damage (S, formerly C) versus non-structural damage (N, formerly D).
A Cat N car can be a reasonable purchase, but it depends entirely on what the damage was and how well it was repaired. Common reasons a car ends up Cat N include cosmetic damage, electrical faults, or damage that was simply expensive to repair relative to the car's value, even if the actual repair was straightforward.
The things to check before buying a Cat N car:
A well-repaired Cat N car from a reputable source can represent good value. A poorly repaired one, or one where the seller cannot explain what happened, is a much bigger risk.
The most reliable way to check a car's write-off history is a paid vehicle history check from a provider such as HPI Check, Experian AutoCheck, or the AA Car Data Check. These checks search the insurance industry's shared databases and will show whether a car has ever been recorded as written off, and which category.
A free check is more limited. The free MOT history checker on the gov.uk website does not show write-off status, but it does show advisories and failures that can sometimes hint at past damage. Some vehicle history providers offer a free basic check that confirms whether any record exists, with the full details available as a paid report.
A full paid history check typically costs between £10 and £20 and will also confirm whether the car has outstanding finance, has been reported stolen, and whether the mileage recorded matches its history. Given the cost of a car, this is a small price for the protection it offers.
For more on what a history check covers and why it matters, see our guide on buying a car with outstanding finance, which covers the same checks from the perspective of outstanding finance specifically.
Insuring a car with a write-off marker is usually possible, but it can be more complicated and sometimes more expensive than insuring an equivalent car with no history. Some insurers ask additional questions about Cat S and Cat N vehicles, want to see evidence of the repair, or may decline to offer fully comprehensive cover on certain Cat S vehicles depending on their underwriting criteria.
It is worth getting an insurance quote for a specific Cat N or Cat S car before committing to buy it, in the same way it is worth checking the insurance group on any car. A car that seems like a bargain because of its write-off history is less of a bargain if insurance turns out to be difficult or expensive to arrange.
Comprehensive insurance is required under any hire purchase agreement. See: You'll need comprehensive insurance.
This varies by lender. AutoMoney Trust does not provide finance for vehicles with a Cat N or Cat S marker on their history, regardless of how well the car has been repaired or how long ago the write-off occurred. This applies to both categories.
If you are looking for a car to finance, it is worth running a vehicle history check before you fall in love with a particular car, so you know upfront whether it carries a write-off marker. A car with a clean history (no Cat N, Cat S, Cat C, or Cat D record) will be eligible for finance subject to the usual checks on affordability and the vehicle's age and value.
Once you have found a car with a clean history, check your eligibility on our apply for car finance page. We offer hire purchase finance from £4,000 to £25,000 over 36 to 84 months with no deposit required, with a soft search that will not affect your credit file.
If a car you are currently financing is written off, whether due to an accident, fire, flood, or theft, the insurance payout goes toward settling the outstanding finance first. If the payout is less than what you owe, you are responsible for the shortfall, unless you have GAP insurance to cover the difference.
Our guide on what to do if your financed car is stolen covers this process in detail, including how the insurance payout is applied, what GAP insurance does, and what your options are afterward.
Whether you are considering a Cat N car or one with no write-off history, AutoMoney Trust offers hire purchase finance from £4,000 to £25,000 over 36 to 84 months with no deposit required. We consider applications from people with poor credit. Your initial eligibility check uses a soft credit search with no impact on your credit file. Use our car finance calculator to see what monthly payments could look like before you apply.
Fully comprehensive insurance is required throughout your finance agreement with AutoMoney Trust, because the vehicle legally belongs to us until your final payment is made. Comprehensive cover protects both you and the lender against damage, theft, fire, and accidents, ensuring the asset is protected for the full term. It is typically more expensive than third party or third party fire and theft cover, so factor this into your monthly running costs when budgeting. Many drivers also consider GAP insurance, which covers the difference between an insurance write-off payout and the outstanding finance balance.
All cars depreciate over time, with most used vehicles losing value steadily across a finance agreement. This matters because by the end of your term, the total amount paid, including interest, may be more than the car's market value. Depreciation also affects negative equity risk: if you want to sell or settle early, the car's value may not cover the outstanding finance balance. Mileage, condition, service history, and demand all influence how quickly a car depreciates. GAP insurance can help cover the gap between a write-off payout and your outstanding finance.
Car finance can affect your credit score in both directions. Consistent, on-time payments build a positive credit history and may improve your score over the life of the agreement, demonstrating to future lenders that you can manage credit responsibly. Missed or late payments have the opposite effect, they are reported to credit reference agencies and can lower your score, making future borrowing harder or more expensive. Applying for finance also creates a hard credit search, which may cause a small short-term dip. Settling your agreement in full further strengthens your credit profile. For more detail, read our guide on Credit Checks for Car Finance.
Your loan term directly affects both your monthly payments and the total cost of borrowing. A longer term, such as 60 or 84 months, spreads the cost over more payments, lowering the monthly amount but increasing the total interest you pay across the agreement. A shorter term, such as 24 or 36 months, means higher monthly payments but a lower overall cost. AutoMoney Trust offers terms from 24 to 84 months, so you can balance monthly affordability against total cost. Use our finance calculator to compare different term lengths before applying.
