A car damage check is one of the most important checks you can run before buying a used car in the UK. It searches industry databases — including MIAFTR (Motor Insurance Anti-Fraud and Theft Register) — to reveal whether a vehicle has been recorded as an insurance write-off, appeared at a salvage auction, or carries any damage history that the seller hasn't disclosed.
The risk is real. Around 384,000 cars are written off or sustain serious accident damage on UK roads every year. Some are scrapped. Others are repaired and returned to the road — which is entirely legal and sometimes perfectly fine. The problem is when write-off history is hidden, repairs are poor, or a seller presents a damaged car as clean. A quick car damage check before you pay a deposit can expose that risk in seconds.
Our check looks for insurance write-off records and salvage history. In paid reports, we can also surface the write-off category, loss date, insurer details, salvage auction information, and — where images exist from salvage listings — damage photos that show the vehicle before repairs were carried out.
Run the check first. If the result is clean, move forward with confidence. If damage history is found, use the evidence to inspect more carefully, ask better questions, and price the vehicle correctly.
Always run a car damage check before you travel to view a car or pay any deposit. A write-off found after purchase is yours to deal with — not the seller's.
Check whether a vehicle has been recorded as a write-off and see the category — Cat A, Cat B, Cat S, Cat N, or older Cat C and Cat D — so you know exactly what type of damage was involved.
See whether the vehicle appeared in salvage channels. Salvage records can reveal damage details and timeline context that write-off records alone don't always provide.
If the vehicle appeared in a salvage listing with photos, our paid reports can show you what the car looked like before any repairs — so you know exactly what area to inspect.
A write-off marker stays with a vehicle for life and permanently reduces its value. Knowing before you buy means you can negotiate correctly or walk away entirely.
A car damage check is a registration-based lookup that searches insurance industry databases for evidence that a vehicle has been recorded as damaged. In the UK, the primary source for this data is MIAFTR — the Motor Insurance Anti-Fraud and Theft Register — which is maintained by the Motor Insurance Bureau and supplied by insurers across the industry. When an insurer writes off a vehicle and assigns it a damage category, that record is logged in MIAFTR and becomes traceable by registration number.
In addition to write-off records, a car damage check can surface salvage history — evidence that a vehicle appeared in salvage auction channels. This adds a layer of context beyond the insurance record, because salvage listings often include description details and, in many cases, photographs of the vehicle before repair.
When you run a check, the result tells you one of three things:
An MOT pass does not clear a write-off record. A car can be repaired, pass its MOT, and still carry a permanent write-off marker. Only a damage check reveals the history.
When an insurer writes off a vehicle, they assign it a damage category that reflects the type and severity of damage. Understanding each category is essential — both for knowing what risks are involved and for judging whether a car is worth buying.
In October 2017, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) updated the categorisation system. The old Cat C and Cat D categories were replaced by Cat S and Cat N to better reflect the nature of damage rather than just repair cost. Vehicles written off before that date retain their original Cat C or Cat D designation, which is why you may still see these on older cars.
An insurer typically writes off a vehicle when the estimated repair cost reaches 50–60% of the car's market value — even if the damage looks minor. That is why some Cat N cars are written off for relatively small cosmetic or electrical damage that would cost less than £2,000 to fix on a low-value car.
Cat S and Cat N cars are legally allowed on UK roads, and many are perfectly safe and well-repaired. They can represent genuine value — often selling for significantly less than an equivalent clean-history car. But they carry risks that you need to understand before buying.
Cat S — what to consider:
Cat N — what to consider:
The bottom line: a well-repaired Cat N car at the right price can be a sound purchase. A Cat S car requires more diligence. In both cases, the price should clearly reflect the history — if a seller wants clean-history money for a write-off car, walk away.
Sellers — both private and trade — are legally required to disclose if a vehicle has been written off. If a seller hides this and you discover it after purchase, you may have grounds to pursue a refund or compensation. Always check before you buy.
These two terms are related but not identical, and understanding the difference helps you make better use of the information from a car damage check.
The practical value of salvage history is that it adds context that a write-off record alone cannot provide. If a vehicle has salvage photos, you can see exactly where the damage was located and how severe it appeared before repairs — information that shapes how you inspect the car and what questions you ask the seller.
Two vehicles with an identical Cat N marker can have completely different damage profiles. One might have minor paintwork damage; another might have had all airbags deployed and the entire dashboard replaced. The category is a starting point — the evidence behind it is what matters.
Our car damage check is structured in two tiers. Start with the free check to spot obvious risk early. Upgrade to a paid report when a vehicle is flagged or when you want full supporting evidence before committing.
Free check includes:
Paid reports add:
A written description of "front-end damage" can mean anything from a scratched bumper to a collapsed engine bay. A photo from the salvage listing shows the reality — and tells you exactly where to focus your inspection.
One of the practical consequences of buying a car with damage history that many buyers don't consider until after purchase is the impact on insurance. A write-off marker affects your premium and your options in several ways:
Checking a car's damage history before purchase means you can get accurate insurance quotes upfront, rather than discovering higher premiums after you've already committed to buying.
Finding damage history doesn't automatically mean you should walk away. It means you need more evidence before you decide. Here is the process to follow:
If the seller cannot produce repair documentation and cannot explain the history calmly and clearly, do not pay a deposit. Move on to the next car.
Even without specialist equipment, a careful walk-around can reveal evidence of previous damage and repair. None of these signs alone proves a problem, but they are valid reasons to ask questions and cross-reference with the damage check results.
If your paid report includes salvage listing photos, look at them before the physical inspection. Knowing that damage was to the front-left corner, for example, means you can focus your checks on that quarter rather than working blind.
When an insurer writes off a vehicle, they typically sell it through a salvage auction. Buyers at these auctions include body repair specialists, parts dismantlers, exporters, and traders who repair and resell vehicles. The auction is the point at which the car is typically photographed and described in detail for bidders — and those listings are the source of damage photos in our paid reports.
The value of a salvage listing record is that it captures the vehicle's condition before any repair work. The photos are taken from multiple angles to help auction buyers assess damage severity. This means:
Analysis of online car listings shows that a significant number of vehicles with hidden damage history are advertised at clean-history prices. A car damage check closes that information gap and puts you in a stronger negotiating position.
Follow these steps to get the most out of a car damage check and reduce your buying risk.
For the lowest risk, combine a car damage check with MOT history (free at gov.uk), a mileage consistency check, an outstanding finance check, and — for higher value purchases — a professional pre-purchase inspection. No single check tells the whole story, but together they leave very little to chance.
A car damage check is a registration-based lookup that searches insurance industry databases — including MIAFTR — for evidence that a vehicle has been recorded as an insurance write-off or appeared at a salvage auction. It reveals the write-off category (Cat S, Cat N, Cat A, Cat B, or older Cat C and Cat D), plus salvage history and, in paid reports, damage photos where available. It is one of the most important checks to run before buying any used car in the UK.
Cat S means the vehicle suffered structural damage — to the chassis, crumple zones or structural frame — and was written off. Cat N means the damage was non-structural — bodywork, electrics, airbags, brakes — and the core structure was not compromised. Both can be repaired and returned to the road legally, but both carry a permanent write-off marker that affects value and insurance cost.
Yes, in some cases. If a vehicle appeared in a salvage auction listing with images and those images are held in available records, our paid reports can include damage photos showing the vehicle before any repairs were carried out. This helps you compare pre-repair condition against what the seller is now presenting.
It can be. Both categories can be legally repaired and returned to the road, and many are perfectly roadworthy. The risks are poor-quality repairs (especially for Cat S, where structural integrity is critical), higher insurance costs, fewer insurer options, and reduced resale value. Always verify repair documentation, get an independent inspection for Cat S vehicles, and make sure the price genuinely reflects the history.
Yes. Write-off history typically increases insurance premiums, and some insurers will refuse to cover Cat S or Cat N vehicles entirely. You are legally required to declare write-off history when applying for insurance. Failing to disclose it can invalidate your policy and mean any claim is rejected. Check insurance quotes before committing to buy a write-off vehicle so you know the full running cost.
Yes. An MOT tests roadworthiness on the day of inspection — it is not a history check. A previously written-off vehicle that has been repaired can pass its MOT while still carrying a permanent Cat S or Cat N marker in the insurance database. An MOT pass alone does not clear or replace damage history.
A write-off record comes from the insurer's claim decision and is logged in MIAFTR. Salvage history refers to whether the vehicle appeared in a salvage auction — which is often the route through which written-off vehicles are sold for repair or parts. Salvage records can include condition descriptions and photos of the vehicle before repair, which write-off records alone do not provide.
Ask the seller to explain the history and produce repair documentation. Check the V5C for a category marker. Use any damage photos from the paid report to focus your physical inspection on the damaged area. For Cat S vehicles, consider a professional inspection. Negotiate the price to reflect the permanent write-off marker. If the seller cannot provide documentation or becomes evasive, do not pay a deposit.
Modern bodywork and painting techniques mean professional repairs can be extremely difficult to detect visually, especially under artificial lighting. This is exactly why historical records matter. Damage photos from salvage listings — where available — show what the car looked like before repairs and tell you where to look and what questions to ask, rather than relying on a visual check alone.
Enter the registration number above to start. The free check will tell you instantly whether a vehicle shows any write-off or damage markers. If the result is clean, you have one less risk to worry about. If damage history is found, upgrade to a paid report for the full picture — including the write-off category, salvage records, and damage photos where available — so you can inspect properly, price correctly, and buy with confidence.
For the most complete protection, combine a car damage check with an outstanding finance check, MOT history review, mileage verification, and a full vehicle history report. Each check closes a different gap — together they give you the most complete picture of any used car before you commit.