Scrap or Salvage of an Insurance write-off

Has your car been written off and you’re not fully sure what it means? Whether you’ve been in an accident, looking to sell or scrap your write off, or thinking about purchasing a written-off car, we’re here to give you information on what it means in simple terms and what you can do with one.

Two damaged cars that may be written off

What is an insurance write-off?

Put simply, an insurance write-off is a vehicle which has sustained so much damage it is either deemed unfit for the road, or not worth the cost of repairing. In either case, the owner will receive a lump sum payout from their insurance company. What happens to the vehicle next depends on the new owner. It can either be scrapped, salvaged or repaired to resell.

Scrapping a write-off

Unfortunately, accidents do happen and you can find yourself in a difficult position in terms of what to do next. Insurance companies can put a lot of pressure on drivers with what they should do with their vehicle, or offer a rather low price for a vehicle which you are reluctant to accept.

Scrapping is an easy alternative to get rid of your vehicle without searching endlessly for a buyer or a fair price. These days, scrapping is straight-forward; all the work is taken care of for you, so all you need to think about is how you’ll spend the money you earn!

Selling a write-off

It will come as no surprise that a written-off vehicle won’t come with a hefty price tag. That being said, you can still bag a fair price depending on the extent of damage and the method you choose to sell your vehicle.

If you’re selling your written-off vehicle, it’s best to be completely honest about the damage it has sustained to give the new buyer an accurate overview of the working condition and what they can do next with the car. Also, be realistic with what you think you can fetch for the vehicle; it goes without saying that a damaged vehicle will not fetch the price it once did.

You can get a salvage car value quote right now using the form above.

Find out more about the differences between scrap and salvage cars.

What should I do?

There are many options out there for shifting a written-off vehicle. If you’re not happy with what your insurance company is offering you, you don’t have to accept it. Whether you choose to sell your vehicle privately, or sell to scrap or salvage, it’s important to do your research to determine what’s going to be best for you. Plus, it’s worth noting that there’s a booming market for damaged vehicles, to be reused or broken down into parts, so see how BMS Salvage can help you.