Insurance write-offs
What every write-off category means
What does this guide cover? A and B are destruction categories. S and N are repairable categories, separated by whether the damage reached the structure, not by repair cost or how serious it looks.
Checked on .
- Category NWhat non-structural means, and why it does not mean minor damage.
- Category SStructural damage, the replacement V5C and checks before buying.
- Categories A and BThe two categories that can never return to the road.
- Old categories C and DThe cost-based categories replaced in October 2017.
- Buying a written-off carHistory checks, repair evidence, inspection and insurance before payment.
| Category | Meaning | May return to road | V5C position |
|---|---|---|---|
| A: Scrap | The vehicle is not suitable for repair and no part of it is safe to reuse. The complete vehicle must be crushed. | No | Destroyed after notification |
| B: Break | The vehicle is not suitable for repair, but some undamaged parts may be recovered. Its bodyshell, chassis or frame must be crushed in full. | No | Destroyed after notification |
| S: Structurally damaged repairable | An appropriately qualified person considers the vehicle safely repairable, but damage has reached a structural part of the vehicle or a structural battery component. | Yes, after safe repair | Free replacement via V62 if retained |
| N: Non-structurally damaged repairable | An appropriately qualified person considers the vehicle safely repairable and the recorded damage has not reached the structural parts defined by the ABI code. | Yes, after safe repair | Existing V5C can be kept if retained |
Can this site check a specific registration?
Kerbwise cannot tell whether a specific vehicle has been written off because the record comes from insurer data we do not hold. Use a private vehicle history check, then compare the VIN and V5C with DVLA records and check the MOT history on GOV.UK.
The free DVLA vehicle enquiry and MOT history services check the public records they hold. Neither replaces the private insurance-history check that reveals a recorded total loss.
Checked on 7 September 2026.Association of British Insurers, Code of Practice for the Categorisation of Motorised Vehicle Salvage (as of 28 May 2025)
Common questions
- What are the current insurance write-off categories?
- The current ABI code uses A for scrap, B for break, S for structurally damaged repairable and N for non-structurally damaged repairable. Insurers stopped assigning C and D in October 2017.
- Can a category S or N car go back on the road?
- Yes, if it is repaired to a roadworthy condition and meets the normal tax, insurance and MOT rules. Category A and B vehicles cannot return to the road.
- Does an MOT prove a written-off car was repaired properly?
- No. A pass shows that the items tested met minimum legal standards on that date. It is not a certificate for every repair and does not cover the engine, clutch or gearbox.
- Can Kerbwise check whether one car is written off?
- No. That record comes from insurer data Kerbwise does not hold. Use a private vehicle history check, then compare the VIN and V5C with DVLA records and review its MOT history on GOV.UK.
Sources
- Association of British Insurers, Code of Practice for the Categorisation of Motorised Vehicle Salvage (as of 28 May 2025)
- GOV.UK, Scrapping your vehicle and insurance write-offs (as of 7 September 2026)
- Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Tell DVLA your vehicle has been written off (as of 7 September 2026)
- Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Application for a vehicle registration certificate, form V62 (as of 1 November 2025)
- Department for Transport, Buying repaired written-off vehicles: a consumer guide (as of 7 September 2026)
- Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Getting an MOT: how the MOT test works (as of 7 September 2026)
- Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Making changes to a vehicle and registering modified vehicles, INF318 (as of 3 August 2026)