Salvage Categories Explained: Cat A, B, S and N

When an insurer writes a car off, it gives the car a salvage category — Cat A, Cat B, Cat S or Cat N. The letter decides whether the car can ever go back on the road, whether parts can be taken from it, or whether the whole car must be crushed. This guide explains each category in plain language, using the GOV.UK description of insurance write-offs.

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What salvage categories are

A salvage category is the label an insurance company puts on a vehicle it has written off. When you claim because your vehicle is damaged, the insurer tells you if it is being written off and how much it will pay. When a vehicle is written off, the insurer pays the current value of the vehicle instead of the cost of repairing it — and it is the insurer that decides whether the vehicle should be written off.

The category describes how badly the vehicle is damaged and what may happen to it next. There are four categories, and they split into two groups: cars that can never be repaired, and cars that can be repaired and used again.

Cat A — what it means and what happens to the car

Cat A means the vehicle cannot be repaired, and the entire vehicle has to be crushed. Nothing is taken from it for reuse — the whole car, shell and parts together, is destroyed.

Cat A is the most severe category. A Cat A car never goes back on the road, and no part of it is sold on as a used part.

Cat B — what it means and what happens to the car

Cat B also means the vehicle cannot be repaired, but the outcome is different: the body shell has to be crushed, while other parts can be salvaged from it. The shell itself is destroyed, but components that are still sound may be removed before that happens.

Like Cat A, a Cat B car never returns to the road. The difference is only in what happens to the parts — a Cat B car can still supply used parts, while a Cat A car cannot.

Cat S — what it means and what happens to the car

Cat S means the vehicle can be repaired following structural damage, and it can be used again if it is repaired to a roadworthy condition. Structural damage means damage to the parts of the car that give it its strength — the chassis, the frame, or the structure the body is built around.

A Cat S car can return to the road, but only after a proper repair. The category is recorded against the vehicle, and it stays with the car even after the repair is done.

Cat N — what it means and what happens to the car

Cat N means the vehicle can be repaired following non-structural damage, and it can be used again if it is repaired to a roadworthy condition. Non-structural damage is damage to parts that do not carry the car's strength — cosmetic panels, lights, trim and similar items.

A Cat N car can also return to the road after repair. Because the damage is not structural, the repair is usually a matter of replacing the damaged items rather than rebuilding the car's frame.

Cat S vs Cat N — the difference that matters

The difference is where the damage sits. Cat S is structural damage: the parts that hold the car together. Cat N is non-structural damage: the parts that do not. Both can be repaired and used again, and both are recorded against the vehicle — but a Cat S repair is a bigger job, and a buyer should know which one a car carries before deciding.

Cat A — cannot be repaired; the entire vehicle is crushed.
Cat B — cannot be repaired; the body shell is crushed, but other parts can be salvaged.
Cat S — can be repaired after structural damage; the car can be used again once roadworthy.
Cat N — can be repaired after non-structural damage; the car can be used again once roadworthy.

What your category means if you are scrapping or selling

If your car has been written off, your insurance company will usually deal with getting the vehicle scrapped for you. You still have three things to do: apply to take the registration number off if you want to keep it, send the V5C log book to your insurance company while keeping the yellow section, and tell the DVLA your vehicle has been written off — you can be fined up to 1,000 pounds if you do not.

If you want to keep a Cat N or Cat S vehicle, the insurer gives you a payout and sells the vehicle back to you. To keep a Cat S vehicle you also need to send the complete log book to your insurance company and apply for a duplicate log book using form V62; the DVLA records the vehicle's category in the log book. To keep a Cat N vehicle, you can keep the log book.

Sources

GOV.UK — Insurance write-offs

Frequently asked questions

What does Cat A mean?

Cat A means the vehicle cannot be repaired, and the entire vehicle has to be crushed. Nothing is taken from it for reuse — the whole car, shell and parts together, is destroyed. It is the most severe salvage category, and a Cat A car never goes back on the road.

What does Cat B mean?

Cat B means the vehicle cannot be repaired, and the body shell has to be crushed — but other parts can be salvaged from it. The shell is destroyed, while components that are still sound may be removed first. Like Cat A, a Cat B car never returns to the road.

What is the difference between Cat S and Cat N?

Cat S is structural damage: the parts that give the car its strength, such as the chassis or frame. Cat N is non-structural damage: panels, lights and trim that do not carry the car's strength. Both can be repaired and used again once roadworthy, but a Cat S repair is the bigger job.

Can a Cat S or Cat N car go back on the road?

Yes, both can be used again if they are repaired to a roadworthy condition. The category is recorded against the vehicle and stays with the car after the repair. To keep a Cat S vehicle you must also send the complete log book to your insurer and apply for a duplicate using form V62.

What does my car's category mean if I want to scrap it?

If the insurer has written the car off, it will usually deal with the scrapping for you. You still need to apply to keep the registration number if you want it, send the V5C to your insurer while keeping the yellow section, and tell the DVLA the vehicle has been written off.

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