UK drivers are at risk of making a huge mistake when buying used cars, as seven in 10 admit to not knowing what it means when a car has a category S or N insurance classification against it.
This means the vehicle was ‘written off’ after being involved in an incident that resulted in an insurance claim. Being unable to identify these categories could mean many used car buyers are purchasing vehicles without knowing their accident history.
A category, or a ‘cat’, may be assigned to a vehicle by the insurer after an accident, depending on the cost of the repair. Cat S refers to a car with structural damage that can be repaired, while Cat N refers to a car with non-structural damage, also repairable. Both must pass different checks before returning to the road.
Sellers should declare if their car has a category against it to any potential buyers. However, new research from Carwow, the online car-changing marketplace, suggests that the majority of Brits don’t know what these categories mean, suggesting they could be making uninformed buying decisions.
One-quarter (26%) of survey respondents said they would not buy a Cat S or N car, while 4% said they would. Of those who would purchase a written-off car, half (53%) would only buy a cat N (non-structural damage), while 44% would buy either, stating this would allow them to find newer models for cheaper prices.
The main reason for caution around written-off cars among consumers was the worry of underlying faults due to poor repair work, chosen by 68% of Brits who said they would not buy one. A further 59% said they wouldn’t feel safe in a car that had been in an accident.
Other factors that put buyers off purchasing written-off cars included increased insurance premiums (48%), difficulties reselling (45%), and worries about the vehicle losing value (25%).
John Rawlings, Consumer Editor at Carwow, said, “We’re passionate about helping buyers to find high-quality used cars, so it’s worrying to see that many people may be falling foul of this car buying mistake.
“Cars that have been written off can offer buyers newer models at lower costs, but buying a car without being fully aware of its accident history can lead to problems further down the line.
“If you’re buying a used car, it’s important to find out as much as possible about the vehicle’s history beforehand. We recommend paying for a history check, which will tell you a car’s write-off (Cat S or N) status and other useful information. Buying from a dealer rather than a private seller also offers a lot more security for the buyer.”
Find out more about driver opinions of written-off cars on Carwow’s website.