MIAFTR database · Experian data

Write-off check — spot hidden damage.

Check if a used car has been written off by an insurer. See the insurance category (S, N, A, B), damage type and MIAFTR date. Experian data with £20k guarantee.

Free scan shows MOT + mileage + advert red flags. Write-off check requires Full Vehicle Check (£9.99).

What CarVouch's write-off check includes

CarVouch queries the Experian MIAFTR database — the Motor Industry Anti-Fraud and Theft Register — used by insurers across the UK.

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Write-off status

Clean or written off — instant verdict from Experian condition records.

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Insurance category

A, B, S (structural) or N (non-structural) — what the insurer declared.

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MIAFTR date

When the write-off marker was added to the register.

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Damage description

Brief description of the damage type (if recorded).

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£20k Experian guarantee

If Experian data is wrong and you lose money, claim up to £20,000.

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PDF report

Download a shareable certificate with the full write-off check result.

UK insurance write-off categories explained

Cat A

Scrap only

Total loss. Must be crushed. Cannot be repaired or sold.

Cat B

Break for parts

Body shell must be crushed. Parts can be salvaged. Must never return to road.

Cat S

Structural damage

Repairable. Damage to the frame or structure. Can return to road after repair. Value significantly reduced.

Cat N

Non-structural damage

Repairable. Cosmetic, electrical or mechanical damage only. Structure intact. Can return to road. Lower resale value.

Categories C and D were replaced by S and N in October 2017. Older vehicles may still show Cat C (now S) or Cat D (now N).

Why check for write-offs before buying?

A written-off car can be legally sold without disclosure, as long as it's roadworthy. Sellers are not required to tell you the car was previously declared a total loss by an insurer. Many buyers only discover this when they try to sell or insure the vehicle.

Category S and N cars are worth 20–40% less than equivalent clean vehicles. Some insurers refuse to cover them, and finance companies may decline to lend against them. If you paid a clean-car price for a Cat S or N vehicle, you've been mis-sold.

Category A and B should never exist as drivable cars. If a check reveals Cat A or B, the vehicle is illegal or fraudulently re-registered. Walk away and report it.

Write-off check — FAQs

A write-off check (also called an insurance category check) reveals whether a car has been declared a total loss by an insurer. UK write-off categories are A, B, S (formerly C) and N (formerly D), each indicating different levels of damage.

Category S (structural damage) means the car had damage to its frame or structure. Category N (non-structural) means damage to other parts — cosmetic, electrical, or mechanical — but the structure was intact. Both are repairable and can legally return to the road.

Yes. Category S and N cars can be repaired and re-registered for road use. However, their value is typically 20–40% lower than an equivalent undamaged car, and some insurers refuse to cover them.

Category A (scrap) and Category B (break for parts) vehicles are so badly damaged they must never return to the road. If a car shows Cat A or B on a check, it should not exist as a drivable vehicle — walk away immediately.

CarVouch's Full Vehicle Check queries Experian's condition database (MIAFTR), the same source HPI uses. If a car has been written off, the report shows the category and the date the marker was added.

No. Write-off records are held by insurers and compiled by Experian and HPI. Free DVLA and DVSA checks do not include this data. You must use a paid history check to see write-off markers.

Check for write-offs now

£9.99 Full Vehicle Check. Experian write-off, finance and stolen data. £20k guarantee. Instant PDF report.

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