Vehicle valuations and write-offs
Consumers sometimes contact us to complain that their insurer hasn’t paid them enough when their vehicle has been written off. Others are unhappy that their insurer has decided to scrap their vehicle without telling them first.
When we consider a complaint, we’ll look at all the evidence and facts to decide what a fair outcome should be.
What is a write-off?
Insurers sometimes call a write-off a ‘total loss’. A vehicle might be written off because:
- it isn’t worth the cost of repairing it
- it’s been stolen and never found
If your vehicle’s been written off, your insurer will usually pay out its market value. This is the amount your vehicle would have been worth just before it was stolen or damaged.
Types of complaints we see
You might complain because your insurer:
- hasn’t paid you a fair price for your vehicle
- has written off your vehicle without telling you first
We need to investigate the complaint and decide whether your insurer has done anything wrong.
What we look at
When looking into these types of complaints, to help us consider it fairly we might ask you and your insurer for certain information, for example:
- independent engineer or expert reports – including any details of modifications to the vehicle
- copies of valuations
- evidence of any pre-existing damage and the cost to repair
- vehicle history
In reaching a decision, we consider: ******************************THE IMPORTANT BIT*********************************************
- the relevant law
- any regulations that applied at the time
- any industry codes of conduct in force at the time
Read more about what we look at for specific types of complaints:
