Written off car - cosmetic reason only

[gixr23]

Our car was parked close by to a building that was being painted. When we returned to our car it was covered in dots of paint - everywhere, windows, wheels etc etc. We called the insurance company with the details and also a witness (there were five cars covered in paint). We then got a call from the garage to inform us that it was a write off. We called back the insurance company and we are insured to drive it until they notify us. they also said we will have the right to buy the car back from them. We would like to know how this works (obviously we will sort the car out ourselves) also does this go on the log book etc.? Our car is worth about �7k - that is the minimum retail price. Any responses are appreciated.

Category C and Category D Registered Cars

[gixr23]

we are through our insurance company

[gouldc]

In regards to the log book, it will only show that the car was written off if it is a Category A, B, or C (and C is the only option really here due to the type of damage).

However, this will only show on the V5 if you undertake a Vehicle Identity Check and obtain a new V5 (let's not get ahead of ourselves though).

I find it quite surprising that a �7k plus car is being written off for something like this? I'd suspect the car to be a Category D total loss, in which cae it will be entered on the relevant databases, but nothing will show on the V5.

The car would POSSIBLY need a respray, but dependent on the type of paint (and extent of coverage), I would have thought that a tidy bodyshop could clear this off - I'm sure someone out there with more knowledge of this kind of work could inform you a little better.

Out of curiosity, what car is it (can you include number of doors, year, engine size, and date of accident) and I'll have a look at the values for you.

Without meaning to sound offensive, what you consider the vehicle value to be may be considerably different to the guides we're obliged to use.

[TWR]

Hi gixr23, I have done a car for somone that had the same problem like you I do not think the paint used to paint the building was gloss but Eumulsion, try some "HOT" WATER on the paint to see if it comes off, I think I will be right, In that case I would contact the Painting contractors show them the problem, get a Quote from a Valeting Comp that way you are not involving your Insurers.

[JoolsTwo]

It could be Cat D write off gouldc I would think that might be more likley. There is usually a buy back option and the amount would depend on the Cat. and how much they put the value of the car. You could have a look on Auto trader that would give you an idea of how they will value your car. It will be noted on MIAFTRA that the car has been a write off and this will de-value the car if you want to sell it on at a later date.

I hope this is helpful.

[gixr23]

Thank you for your responses on this, we have been told that it does need a respray and we know another person has been told the same, the paint has marked the bodywork and it was confirmed by the garage. We have looked at auto trader and ebay and the price we quoted was the minimum amount for a similar car of our year, which is where we got the price from, we actually thought the car was worth less than that. Apparently if the cost of repair is more than 80% they will write it off. We know people in the trade and will get a respray quote from them and are hoping we can afford to pay the difference depending on the amount the insurance company are prepared to pay us back (retail rather than trade), or if not we will just have to get another car. Does anyone know if we do buy it back how much the value of the car will decrease by? And also if the car is worth a minimum of �7k how much we would have to pay to buy it back? Just so we can do our sums and make the right decision. Thanks again for all your help ;o)

[JoolsTwo]

Assuming Cat D write off and a value of �7k the company I'm working for at the moment would probably charge you about �2k 30%
Cat C for the same value car �1750 25% - Other companies may have different percentages.

[gouldc]

As per jim, we have a contract with salvage companies, and we'd be looking at a salvage value of between 24 to 34% of the vehicle value (dependent of the company), but this figure will vary from insurer to insurer.

So you'd probably be looking at taking about �1800 off the value of the vehicle to retain it (ie you'd get about �5200).

I hate to admit it, but I know that some of our ''approved repairers'' (and I use the term loosely) pick and choose the jobs they want to do. We use in-house engineer's, so they authorise repairs based on the description of the damage given by the garage and images - been a while since I dealt with the repair side, but I would have thought that �6000 (guessing here) would be a lot to re-spray.

Think TWR has the best suggestion there to be honest - it may even be possible for a company such as chipsaway to touch in the damage once the paint is removed - insurers won't always think of these things as most claims handlers have never worked in, or had experience, of the motor trade and what's available

[TWR]

Hi, As i have said but its up to yourselfs, he person i done the job for was told by their local Volvo Garage the job was going to cost app �600 when i looked at the car & tried what i have said (I valet cars in my spare time) Hot water time, & patience the job was done for �250, I do not like getting ripped off, nor do I like other people getting ripped off & the Insurance Comps are the Biggest rip off merchants out there, You still did not say if this was gloss or Eumulsion paint!!! But i bet it is the Latter, Money is very hard to come by nowadays, why can you not contact the Paiting Comp yourself and try to come to some agreement it will save a lot of agro, take a tip and go for it.

[TWR]

Just futher to my last thread, what area did this happen? Was it in our area BB7 2NU, This is where i sorted this Volvo out.

[Rtaxron]

Am I missing something here.

A painting company splashes your car with paint and you have to buy the car back through your insurance company.

Why, as TWR says above, can you not get the painting comp to pay for the damage, or was the car parked illegally?

[gixr23]

The car wasn't park illegally, the paint has penetrated through to the paintwork I am not sure what paint it was but it was not emulsion. We are SE and will be getting quotes for a full respray. Thanks for letting us know what the buy back value is, depending on the quotes we get we still want to keep the car - I know some of the other quotes that people have received and it doesn't seem to be 80% of the value of the car but then I don't know how the insurance company calculate this. It just seems crazy to us going through this process.