Buying an Accident Damaged Car at Auction

About Buying Accident Damaged Cars

If you’re looking to purchase an accident damaged vehicle for the first time, you’re bound to have some questions about how the process works. In this article, we aim to explain what accident damaged vehicles are, what categories/titles you’ll find for sale and most importantly, why you should consider buying one.

What are accident damaged cars?

Accident damaged vehicles, also known as salvage in the trade industry, or total loss (write-offs) to the general public can be easily purchased and could be a great way to save money if you have the repair know-how.

Accident damaged cars can arrive at Copart from two avenues; either directly from the insurance companies who have deemed them unfit to return to the road and subsequently written them off, or from trade buyers who are looking to sell the vehicles on to be repaired.

Where to buy accident damaged cars

There are many sites where you can buy accident damaged cars however Copart sell the widest range of vehicles with a large number of them sourced directly from top UK insurance companies.

Insurance Write-Offs

If a vehicle has received considerable damage and the cost to repair will be close to, or more than the value of the vehicle, the car will be written off and the insurance company will take possession and sell the vehicle to a remarketer such as Copart.co.uk.

Sold by Trade Buyers

Whilst a used vehicle has not been written off by the insurance company, the car may still have received accident damage and need more repair than the owner is prepared to undertake, thus it will be sold on to a vehicle remarketer such as Copart.co.uk. This damage can range from extensive chassis damage to minor damage such as dents and scratches.

Understanding Accident Damaged Categories

When a vehicle is written off by an insurer, it will be assigned a salvage category/title to inform the buyer about the type and severity of the damage received.

These are provided by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and split into six different categories A, B, C, D, S and N. It’s important that you understand each salvage category/title before deciding to purchase this vehicle type.

A – Scrap – A scrap car has been damaged beyond repair, the vehicle frame and salvageable parts must not be returned to the road. The vehicle will be crushed.

B – Breaker vehicles – A Category B vehicle should not reappear on the road, although some parts can be salvaged and used in cars which can reappear on the road. The shell must be crushed after.

C – Salvage – A Category C vehicle is repairable however the costs required to repair it exceed the pre-accident value of the vehicle.

D- Salvage – A Category D vehicle is repairable and the costs required to repair it are significant, although they do not exceed the pre-accident value of the vehicle.

S – Salvage - Repairable Structural - A Category S vehicle has sustained damage its structural frame or chassis, and the insurer/self-insured owner has decided not to repair the vehicle.

N – Salvage - Repairable Non-Structural - A Category N vehicle has not sustained damage to its structural frame or chassis and the insurer/self-insured owner has decided not to repair the vehicle.

U/X – Used Unrecorded/Stolen Recovered - Minimal Damage and Category U – Used Unrecorded vehicles are outside of the ABI Code of Practice and denote other vehicles not classified as a total loss under the code. While these vehicles have not been classed as salvage, there is still a chance that they could be damaged. 

On 1st October 2017, the Code of Practice for the Categorisation of Motor Vehicle Salvage changed and Salvage Categories S (Structural) and N (Non-Structural) were brought in to replace C and D.

The new categories aim to give buyers a better indication as to why the vehicle has been written off; i.e. whether it was cosmetic, light damage or structural damage.

Once the necessary repairs have been completed, salvage Category C, D, S and N vehicles can return to the road. Category C and D vehicles classified before October 1^st will remain in circulation.

For more information on Salvage categories, read the Code of Practice for the Categorisation of Motor Vehicle Salvage.

Why should i buy an accident damaged car?

• Value for money - If you have the skills and knowledge to repair a damaged vehicle, you could see yourself saving a considerable amount of money over buying the car used (including the cost to repair).
• Parts - Heavily damaged vehicles, particularly CAT B, C and S titles could provide you with a source of great-value used parts. The vehicles may be too heavily damaged to realistically return to the road (CAT Bs cannot legally return to the road) however they contain salvageable parts which you could purchase for a fantastic price, perfect if you are already repairing a similar model.
• Enjoyment – A repair or restoration challenge can be hugely fulfilling, especially if you are a big car fanatic. There’s nothing like seeing a damaged and sad looking car returned to its former glory.
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Who should purchase an accident damage vehicle?

Accident damaged vehicles can vary in damage from light cosmetic, to deeper mechanical problems. As a result, there is not a one size fits all when considering taking on this challenge. Those who specialise in used vehicle repair would be more suited towards fixing vehicles with lighter damage whereas vehicles with heavier damage might be more suitable to experienced mechanics who have worked with repairable salvage before.

Of course, if you have limited experience with damaged vehicles and are looking to take on your first salvage challenge, there’s no reason why this type of vehicle might not be appropriate if you can dedicate the time and care it takes to repair it.

Do I need to complete further research on an accident damaged car?

Whether you’re purchasing a vehicle to sell on, repair, or to strip for parts, it’s highly recommended that you complete further research before you purchase an accident damaged vehicle to ensure that you are aware of any current or past afflictions. We recommend that you:

• Carefully review the information provided to you by the Seller
• Complete an online vehicle history check such as a vehicle enquiry check / HPI check / or equivalent
• Visit the vehicle to complete an in-person inspection and take note of any areas of concern

Do I need licences to buy an accident damaged vehicle?

If you are looking to purchase a Category B – Breaker vehicle you will need to hold the correct licences and meet a set of requirements. For more information on buying CAT Bs, visit our Category B buying page.

Categories C, D, S and N do not require licences. If you are looking to buy a salvage vehicle at Copart.co.uk you will need to have registered on our website and have an active account having agreed to our Trade Terms and Conditions.

Where to buy an accident damaged car?

You’ll find accident damaged vehicles for sale in a number of places including online retailers and car auction companies. At Copart UK, we sell the widest range of salvage vehicles in Europe through our unique online auctions to buyers in over 110 countries. We update our salvage stock every day so be sure to keep checking to see if we have what you’re looking for.

How do I buy an accident damaged vehicle?

Register as a Copart Member to bid and buy accident damaged vehicles in our auctions. Just fill in the form on our registration page and complete the following instructions.  

View our range of accident damaged vehicles.