When you’re considering purchasing a used car, one of the most crucial pieces of information you need is whether the vehicle has previously been written off. A written-off car has been deemed uneconomical to repair by an insurance company after an accident, flood damage, fire, or other serious incident.
Why is this important? Because even if a car has been repaired and put back on the road (as is the case with Category S and N write-offs), there could be underlying issues affecting safety or future value. Some write-offs should never return to the road at all (Category A and B), making this check absolutely vital before handing over your hard-earned cash.
Thankfully, there are several reliable services in the UK that can tell you instantly if a car has been written off. Let’s explore the six best options for checking write-off status when buying a used car.
Motorscan
If you’re concerned about potential write-offs, Motorscan offers one of the most thorough write-off status verification services available. Their comprehensive reports check against extensive insurance industry databases to identify any write-off history, clearly showing the specific category (A, B, S, or N) if applicable.
What sets Motorscan apart is their attention to detail when investigating vehicles with potential issues. While checking for write-offs, they simultaneously verify other crucial information like outstanding finance, plate and colour change history, and previous keeper information, which can sometimes indicate hidden problems that might correlate with write-off history.
Particularly valuable is how Motorscan integrates its write-off checks with their comprehensive mileage investigation. This holistic approach helps identify situations where cars have been written off, poorly repaired, and then had their mileage adjusted to hide their problematic history.
For those specifically concerned about avoiding written-off vehicles, Motorscan’s clear presentation of findings and focus on accuracy makes them an excellent first choice.
HPI Check
HPI Check has become almost synonymous with vehicle history checks in the UK, with over 80 years of experience in the industry. Their insurance write-off check is particularly robust, backed by their impressive £30,000 data guarantee—offering significant peace of mind if you purchase a car that later turns out to have undisclosed write-off history.
What’s particularly valuable about HPI’s write-off checks is their extensive industry connections. They have direct access to insurance databases that help them identify not just if a car was written off, but precisely when and under which category. This level of detail can be crucial when assessing whether repairs were carried out to an acceptable standard.
HPI also includes VIN/chassis number verification, which is an important cross-reference when checking write-off status, as it ensures the vehicle you’re checking matches the record being pulled.
RAC Vehicle Check
Coming from one of the UK’s most trusted motoring organisations, RAC Vehicle Check offers comprehensive write-off category verification with the reassurance of their £30,000 data guarantee. Their write-off checks are particularly detailed, clearly explaining what each category means for potential buyers.
The RAC service provides thorough reporting on vehicle history. When identifying write-offs, they also check for plate change history—a potentially important indicator that someone might be trying to hide a vehicle’s troubled past.
Their reports present write-off information in a clear, easy-to-understand format, making it simple to determine whether a vehicle’s write-off history should be a deal-breaker or merely something to factor into price negotiations.
AA Car Check
Like its competitor the RAC, the AA brings considerable motoring expertise to its vehicle history checks. Their insurance write-off status verification is a key component of their service, with particularly clear explanations of what different write-off categories mean for the average buyer.
One strength of the AA’s approach to write-off checks is their tiered system. They offer different levels of checks, allowing buyers to choose between basic write-off information or more comprehensive vehicle history reports based on their needs.
The AA also contextualises write-off information alongside technical specifications, helping buyers understand if the nature of the write-off might be particularly problematic for the specific make and model they’re considering.
VCheck
VCheck stands out for having the highest data guarantee in the industry at £40,000—offering significant financial protection if you purchase a car with an undisclosed write-off history.
What makes VCheck particularly valuable for identifying write-offs is their exclusive access to salvage auction history dating back to 2015. This unique data source can reveal write-off vehicles that might not appear in standard insurance databases, particularly those that were self-insured or processed through certain salvage channels.
With over 50 data points checked, their write-off verification is impressively thorough. For buyers particularly concerned about salvage history or vehicles that might have been written off but not properly recorded, VCheck offers uniquely valuable insights.
CarAnalytics
CarAnalytics offers one of the most data-rich approaches to identifying write-offs, checking more than 80 data points in their comprehensive reports. Their insurance write-off checks are particularly detailed, often revealing information about the extent of damage and repair history that other services might miss.
What’s particularly valuable is their 5-band valuation system, which helps contextualise how a write-off history should affect a vehicle’s market value—essential information when negotiating with sellers of previously written-off vehicles.
They offer packages with multiple checks, making them ideal if you’re comparing several vehicles with potential write-off histories.
How to Interpret Write-Off Categories
When checking for write-offs, it’s crucial to understand what different categories mean:
Category A: Vehicles that must be crushed entirely and no parts can be salvaged. These should never be on the road.
Category B: Vehicles where the body shell must be crushed, though some parts may be salvaged. These should never return to the road.
Category S (formerly Category C): Vehicles that have suffered structural damage but have been professionally repaired and can legally return to the road.
Category N (formerly Category D): Vehicles with non-structural damage that have been repaired and can legally return to the road.
Categories S and N are not necessarily deal-breakers, but they should prompt careful inspection and potentially affect the price you’re willing to pay.
Why Write-Off Checks Matter: A Real-World Scenario
Imagine finding what appears to be a bargain—a three-year-old Ford Focus priced 20% below similar models. It looks good and drives well, but without a write-off check, you might miss that it’s actually a Category S write-off that suffered significant rear-end damage.
While the repairs might appear professional, underlying issues could emerge later: misaligned panels might allow water ingress leading to electrical problems, or the car’s structural integrity might be compromised in future accidents. Moreover, when you eventually sell, you’ll face the same significant depreciation the current seller is experiencing.
A simple write-off check would reveal this history, allowing you to either walk away or negotiate a truly fair price that accounts for the car’s history and potential future issues.
Choosing the Right Write-Off Check Service
When selecting a service specifically for identifying write-offs, consider these factors:
Data Guarantees: Higher guarantees like VCheck’s £40,000 or HPI and RAC’s £30,000 offer better financial protection.
Unique Data Sources: Services like VCheck with exclusive salvage auction history can reveal write-offs other services might miss.
Comprehensiveness: Some services like CarAnalytics and Motorscan integrate write-off checks with other investigations that might reveal hidden issues.
Value vs Detail: Consider whether basic write-off information is sufficient or if you need the detailed history provided by more comprehensive checks.
Remember that checking for write-offs is just one component of a thorough pre-purchase investigation, but it’s certainly among the most important. A small investment in a reliable check could save you thousands of pounds and considerable heartache down the road.
Whether you opt for Motorscan’s detail-oriented approach, HPI’s industry experience, or VCheck’s unique data sources, any of these six services will significantly reduce your risk of unwittingly purchasing a problematic written-off vehicle.
