Repairable Salvage Vehicle Categories
After a vehicle has been titled as a total loss, the car insurance assessors will use various categories of insurance write-off to indicate the level of the damage to a vehicle. At Copart, we adhere to the Association of British Insurers (ABI) categorisations, the UK’s leading financial services trade association:
Category S – Repairable Structural – A vehicle which has sustained damage to any part of the structural frame or chassis, and the insurer/self-insured owner has decided not to repair the vehicle.
Category N – Repairable Non-Structural – A vehicle which has not sustained damage to the structural frame or chassis and the insurer/self-insured owner has decided not to repair the vehicle.
Category C –Repairable Salvage – The estimated full cost of necessary repair for known damage at current prevailing rates and prices exceeds the market valuation as defined by the insurer/owner at the incident date.
Category D – Repairable Salvage – The estimated full cost of necessary repair for known damage at current prevailing rates and prices is less than the market valuation as defined by the insurer/owner at the incident date.
View the Code of Practice for the Categorisation of Motor Vehicle Salvage.
Please note, a V5 will only be provided with the vehicle if we have one on file. Check the V5 Notes section of each Lot Details page for more information.
Category B Breaker Vehicles
Unlike other salvage categories, a Category B Breaker vehicle cannot return to the road but can be dismantled for spare parts. Bodyshells/frames must be crushed in their entirety including all welded/bonded sections.
You must be a licence holder to purchase Category B vehicles with us. Read more on buying CAT B vehicles.
Used Vehicle Categories
Minimal Damage and Category U-Unrecorded are outside of the ABI Code of Practice and represent other vehicles not classified as a total loss under the code.
Whilst these vehicles have not been classed as salvage, there is still a chance that they could be damaged.
Category U – Used Unrecorded – A used vehicle which has not been categorised as a write-off. This can mean that the vehicle has little to no damage, needing minimal work to be returned to the road.
Category X – Stolen/Recovered Minimal Damage – A vehicle which has been stolen from its previous owner and recovered after insurance claim has been settled. All theft related markers are then removed and sold via Copart.
What is vehicle grading?
Among our superb selection of used vehicles, you will find some with a vehicle grade from one to five. These vehicles have been expertly assessed by our team of qualified engineers and given a grade to give you a better understanding as to their condition.
For more information, view our vehicle grading page.
| Grade 1 | The vehicle has been assessed to have just minor defects that require SMART repairs such as minor chips, dents, scratches and/or require minor replacement parts. Search Grade 1 Vehicles > |
| Grade 2 | Grade 1 observations, plus up to 1 major or minor body repair to a single panel. The replacement of more substantial trim parts may be required. Search Grade 2 Vehicles > |
| Grade 3 | Grade 2 observations, plus the vehicle may involve up to 5 minor body repairs and/or 3 major body repairs. Search Grade 3 Vehicles > |
| Grade 4 | Grade 3 observations, plus the vehicle may also require a combination of repairs including a replacement of non-structural panel such as roof and quarter panels. Search Grade 4 Vehicles > |
| Grade 5 | Grade 1 observations, plus the vehicle may have sustained impact damage and the replacement of up to a maximum of two structural panels may be required. Search Grade 5 Vehicles > |
