https://www.channel4.com/programmes/why-is-my-car-so-expensive-dispatches/on-demand/74438-001
In the show, it talks about consumers buying cars from dealers with very murky pasts. These vehicles have been declared a “total loss” by the Insurer, or a “write off” as it is more commonly known. The term “write off” is an insurance term that means where something that was on the policy has been paid out in full, it is “written out” of the policy, hence the term “written off”.
This does not mean the vehicle cannot be repaired, it just means the Insurer does not see it as being economically viable.
The contract of insurance advises that it promises to indemnify the insured “upto “the market value. This means that you can insist on the vehicle being repaired all the way ” upto “the market value. However, Insurer’s like to advise that they can decide how to treat your claim, and that they will receive a sum of money for the salvage when they dispose of it.
The question is, “how do you receive a sum of money for a vehicle you do not own?” This is where Insurer’s CON consumers, as this would be in breach of law, and is “conversion” ( handling stolen goods) , and comes under the Interference of Goods Act 1977. They are selling a vehicle that they do not yet own to a salvage agent. Should a customer consent to this, as they may not wish for their car to be repaired, all is well and good.
But what if you don’t?
The first thing is, do not under any circumstances let the insurer take control over your asset, this is your personal property, you need to be in control of it. Use your own repairer.
Secondly, if the cost of repair is LESS than the market value, Insist on it being repaired.
New cars are getting very hard to source, second hand car prices are increasing as a result, this is opening up a marketplace rife with criminal activity, why buy and sell straight cars, when you can deal in bent ones? Much easier to buy a salvaged vehicle , not repair it correctly, and sell it at the same price as a vehicle without the history. Easy money.
The issue with Insurer’s is that they are GREEDY. They are getting higher returns from salvage due to this demand, this means the percentage return for the salvage relative to the market value is getting higher, meaning insurers are constructively total lossing vehicles at much lower figures. I know that COVEA insurance is total lossing vehicles at 50% of the market value.
When insurers start advising a vehicle that is economically viable to be a total loss, they are obviously going to sell more at salvage, as they have less damage! This creates an instant need for more parts that are not available at the moment.
This has led to a huge rise in “theft of vehicles” and “theft of parts from vehicles”, How do you replace the missing front end of a salvaged car? you go out and steal another, replace the parts with these parts on your salvaged car, Sell the now repaired car for a Retail figure, and Launder your illegally gotten cash in the process.
If you are a really sharp criminal, you wait for this now “stolen and recovered” vehicle that you have knicked the bits from, and rather than repair your first salvaged car, you replace the panels that you have just knicked back on to the original car.
Insurers are complicit in assisting criminals to launder their money. If more vehicles were being repaired by insurers, fewer vehicles would go to salvage, the need for parts to repair the salvage would be less, theft would decline as a result.
It is an absolute “NO BRAINER” for insurer’s to be repairing cars up to the marker value. You need to ask yourself , “why don’t they”? Told you they were GREEDY.
How do you protect yourself from buying a vehicle that might have a murky past? I have been using V Check For years ! Click on the link to go to their website. I also provide Experian checks , and carry out both should a customer require them. V check often provides a lot more information than Experian or HPI, and I highly recommend it.
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Why should you get your vehicle history check with us?
Buying a second hand vehicle is a notoriously risky business. It is almost impossible to tell a vehicle’s past just by looking at it. Our report will provide you with vital information about the history of any vehicle you may be thinking about buying and verify the information the seller has given to you.
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Salvage Auctions History
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What do you if you have not been so fortunate in carrying out your checks prior to buying a car?
Contact another of my working partners at 
There link can be found here https://rejectmy.com/reject-my-car/ I have worked with Ian at “rejectmycar” for a number of years , and highly recommend their services.
