Cat C insurance write-off category Posted: 240225 Occasionally a good looking classic car is seen offered for sale and in the advert or auction listing a Cat C write-off is mentioned. If a potential buyer is interested in the car then they will need to understand what that write-off category means and the consequent effect it can have on the value of the car and its attraction to any future buyers. Thorough checks will be necessary including an inspection of the vehicle and esquires as to why the write-off category was allocated to the car. Understanding both the pre-2017 and the current write-off categories will be needed. Write-off categories changes when new categories were introduced in October 2017 Many classic cars seen for sale today will have been made and sold prior to October 2017 and a few may have had accident damage that resulted in an earlier write-off category like Cat C or Cat D. See our guide that explains those earlier categories and the current Cat S and Cat N write-off categories. Write-off categories Salvage retention clauses in a classic car insurance policies For a classic car owner the key concern has been the inclusion of a salvage retention clause in the classic car policy wording. A main concern has been the policy holder's right to salvage retention and the terms of that retention. However this is something that specialist classic car insurers have been reviewing over recent years and have revised policy documents to reduce ambiguity over what is a complex issue. Some specialist insurers have recognised the importance of a historic car or collectable vehicle being returned to the owner following a claim for major damage so the owner can carry out a subsequent rebuild or have the car for parts. Whilst this falls outside insurers’ standard vehicle scrapping arrangements because vehicle salvage technically becomes the property of the insurer once a payout has been made to the insured. That meant if the policyholder wished to rebuild the car then the scrappage would have had to be purchased from the insurer - "scrappage buy-back". In the case of a typical classic car policy that would be have been done once a full agreed value payment (a key part of classic car cover) has been made to the insured. But some specialist classic car insurers now offer policy enhancements for a small additional premium to provide “NIL Deduction Salvage Retention”. That has been welcomed by many classic car owners. See our article on salvage retention