Cat S check
Find out if a car is recorded as a Category S structural write-off, when it happened and which insurer recorded it, in one £15 report.
Included in your report:
- Write-off category
- Date of the loss
- Recording insurer
- Older Cat C records
- Outstanding finance
- Mileage history
Example report section
What a Cat S record looks like in your report.
A recorded write-off appears in its own section, with the category, the date of the loss and the insurer where one is recorded.
Write-Off History
Information found
Write-Off Record
Example data shown. Your report shows what is recorded for the registration you check.
What a Cat S check tells you.
The answer comes from the insurance industry's write-off records, checked against the registration you enter.
Whether it is Cat S
Whether the car is recorded as a Category S structural write-off, or with any other category, including Cat N.
When it happened
The date of the loss, which tells you how long the car has been back on the road and which MOT tests came after the repair.
Who recorded it
The insurer that settled the claim, where the record holds one. More than one record means more than one write-off.
Older Cat C records
Cat S replaced Category C in October 2017 for structural damage. A car written off before then may carry Cat C, and the check shows that too.
Why Cat S is the one to know about.
Category S means the structure of the car was damaged: the chassis rails, pillars, crumple zones or subframe that decide how it behaves in the next crash. It was judged repairable, repaired, and allowed back on the road. How safe it is now depends almost entirely on how well that repair was done.
That is why a structural write-off matters more to a buyer than a cosmetic one. A good structural repair is invisible. So is a bad one, until the car is in another accident.
The marker stays on the insurance record against the vehicle for its whole life, so a check on the registration shows it however many times the car has changed hands. Do not rely on the logbook to tell you: see does Cat S show on the V5C. For the definition in full, read what is a Cat S car.
Run a Cat S check
Check for structural damage history first.
Find out if it is recorded as Cat S, or any other write-off, before you travel to see it.
- Instant results
- Write-off category and date
- £30,000 data guarantee
If the check shows Cat S.
The record tells you the structure was damaged. These steps tell you whether it was put right.
1
Ask who repaired it
A named bodyshop, invoices, and ideally photos of the structure during the repair. A structural repair with no paperwork at all is a serious gap.
2
Have the structure inspected
An independent inspection, or a bodyshop check on a jig, is the only way to know the car is straight. Uneven panel gaps and doors that do not shut cleanly are worth noticing on the way.
3
Read the MOT history since the loss
Look at the tests after the write-off date for advisories on structure, corrosion near repairs or steering and suspension alignment.
Free MOT history check4
Get an insurance quote first
A structural write-off is something insurers ask about. Some price it higher and some decline, so get a quote before you commit. See can you insure a Cat S car.
5
Price in the category
A Cat S car usually sells for less than the same car without a record, and it will still be Cat S when you sell it. See how much value a Cat S car loses.
6
Check the paperwork matches
Make sure the logbook, VIN and registration all agree with each other and with the car. Structural write-offs are the vehicles most often rebuilt with parts from elsewhere.
VIN checkAlready bought one without being told?
If you bought a car that turns out to be Cat S and the seller said nothing, what you can do depends on who sold it and what was said. Buying from a dealer gives you more protection than a private sale. Our guide sold a Cat S car without being told sets out the options.
Where our data comes from.
Always from official records. We do not create, edit or estimate any data.
DVLA
Registration, keeper history, import and export status and recorded vehicle details.
DVSA
Full MOT test history including results, advisories and mileage at each test.
Insurance industry records
Recorded write-off markers such as Cat A, B, S and N from insurance industry records.
UK finance lenders
Outstanding finance agreements including HP, PCP and conditional sale records.
Police stolen vehicle records
Stolen vehicle markers from UK police records, checked against the registration and VIN.
Vehicle identity checks
VIN and registration cross-referenced to flag plate changes, cloning or identity mismatches.
Cat S check FAQs
How do I check if a car is Cat S?
Run a history check on the registration. Write-off categories are held on the insurance industry's records against the vehicle, and the report shows the category, the date of the loss and the insurer where one is recorded.
What is the difference between Cat S and Cat N?
Cat S means the structure of the car was damaged. Cat N means the damage was non-structural, such as panels, electrics or interior, with the frame intact. Both can be repaired and driven again. The <a href="/cat-n-check">Cat N check</a> covers the other category.
Is Cat S the same as Cat C?
Not exactly. Category S replaced Category C on 1 October 2017, but the rules changed: Cat C was based on repair cost, while Cat S is about structural damage. A car written off before October 2017 may carry Cat C, and the check shows it.
Can a Cat S marker be removed?
No. It stays on the vehicle record permanently. A good repair, a new MOT or a change of keeper does not change it.
Can I insure a Cat S car?
Usually, but not with every insurer, and you must declare it. Get a quote before you buy. Our guide <a href="/blog/can-you-insure-a-cat-s-car">can you insure a Cat S car</a> explains what to expect.
Does a Cat S car pass an MOT?
It can. An MOT checks roadworthiness on the day and is not an inspection of the structural repair, so a pass tells you nothing about the quality of that work.
Before you pay
Know if it is Cat S before you buy.
Enter the registration to see any recorded structural write-off and its date.
- Full vehicle history
- No account required
- £30,000 data guarantee