insurance write offs

[supersop60]

I'm waiting for the insurance company to assess the damage on my car and have told to expect they will write it off (prob cat D). What do I do next? I want to keep and repair the car, but several people have told me I'll have to buy it back from the insurance company. Can this be right?

[CheekyChops]

Not necessarily. Last time I wrote a car off, my insurance company gave me 3 options:

1) To have the car repaired
2) To have the car back still damaged plus a sum of money
3) To have a larger sum of money and no car

I went for 3. Obviously in your case option 2 would probably be best.

[andrea81]

My car was written off and I had a lump sum and my car back as my in-law repaired it for himself! I didn't have to pay for it!

[davewr]

My daughter was in a similar position after a delivery van backed into her parked car. The insurance company wanted to write it off but the money offered wouldn't go anywhere near a replacement. Luckily a friend in the car repair business advised her to go for a Contract Repair, and the money more than covered the repairs.