If a vehicle has received substantial repairs following an accident, the value of the vehicle is affected regardless of the quality of those repairs. This is the case even if your car was repaired at a dealership with authorised parts, as it will always be valued lower than if it wasn’t accident damaged.
According to data from the Department of Transport, in 2021 alone, there were at least 101,087 road collisions in Great Britain.
If you’ve had a small bump with superficial damage and maybe a panel or two repaired, it’s unlikely to be considered significant and won’t have an effect on the value of the vehicle. If however, your insurer considers the damage to be significant (e.g. it costs more to repair the vehicle than they are prepared to pay for), then it is likely to be treated as an insurance write off, with a condition marker added to the vehicle record. Owners of fleet cars may choose to sell the vehicle as accident damaged, rather than claim for the repairs through their insurer.
The classification of accident damaged cars
In the UK, insurance companies use categories to identify cars that have been involved in accidents and to grade the severity of the damage. You may be familiar with the term ‘Category D’, which referred to vehicles that can be repaired but are not considered cost-effective to do so by the insurer, but this system was replaced in 2017. The newly established categories are now labelled A,B,S and N and were created with the intention to place more emphasis on the condition of the car rather than the cost of repair.
Category A
If you’ve been involved in a car accident or collision, and your car is determined to be a Category A, then this means it is heavily damaged. Category A cars are considered to be beyond repair and may also be referred to as ‘scrap’ cars, as they must be crushed entirely, including all parts.
Category B
Category B cars are considered to be very badly damaged. Category B cars are also beyond repair, but some parts may be saved, recycled or sold if they are still in working or easily repairable condition. If a car is a Category B, the body shell can’t be salvaged and must be crushed.
Category S
Category S cars may also be called ‘structural cars’, because the structural frames have been damaged in the accident. However, unlike Cat A and B Cars, a Category S car can be repaired and resold, although the vehicle will have depreciated in value.
Category N
This is the current equivalent to a Category D Car. A Category N car is damaged but has not received any damage to the structural frame, unlike Category S. However, it should be noted that although a Cat N car may not have suffered damage to the structure, there may be other damage that could compromise the safety of the car.
How much is a car worth after an accident?
There are many law firms specialising in diminished value, who place the average value loss of an accident-damaged vehicle at around 33%.
At sellyourcar2rob, all vehicles are individually inspected and an adjustment for an accident-damaged vehicle can vary depending upon the age, mileage, make and model of vehicle.
Type of Car Accident | Value Loss |
Paint scratches, scuffs/scrapes, small dents | Low |
Lesser collisions (little structural damage, may require replacement panels) | Medium |
Severe collisions | High |
How sellyourcar2rob can help you following an accident
Vehicles that have been involved in an accident can be difficult to sell privately, as there is limited interest in buying a vehicle that has been repaired. This is due to the repairs potentially not being carried out to a good standard, and buyers of previously damaged cars may have to account for further repairs or issues.
Regardless of the condition of your car, sellyourcar2rob are here to help you sell your car. You can get a quick, convenient and free car valuation in less than 30 seconds. Our car valuation calculator is highly intuitive and only requires your vehicle’s registration number, along with some simple details, such as your car’s mileage, condition and service history.
