// Comparison
Cat S vs Cat N, what's the difference?
Both are repairable insurance write-offs. The difference is whether the damage was structural, and that one word changes the paperwork, the resale value, and what we'll pay.
Category
Cat S
Structural
- What it means: Damage was structural, chassis, A-pillar, sub-frame, floor pan. Insurer paid out as a write-off.
- Can you drive it again? Yes, after repair. But the structural work must be declared on every future resale.
- Resale impact: Permanent ~30% drop vs same car with clean history.
- What we pay: Often more than scrap value because the shell can be rebuilt or the running gear sold as parts.
Category
Cat N
Non-structural
- What it means: Damage was cosmetic / mechanical, bumper, panel, electrical, water-damage. No frame issue.
- Can you drive it again? Yes, after repair. No legal disclosure required on resale.
- Resale impact: Smaller hit (~10-15%), buyer-dependent rather than legally encoded.
- What we pay: Often the highest of the four cat categories. We pay close to running-vehicle prices for these.
Quick reference
| Question | Cat S | Cat N |
|---|---|---|
| Structural damage? | Yes | No |
| Repairable? | Yes | Yes |
| Disclose on resale? | Required, forever | Not legally required |
| Re-register after repair? | Possible (V23 process) | No re-registration needed |
| Resale-value hit | ~30% | ~10-15% |
| Best route? | Often parts donor + rebuild candidate | Often repair-and-resell |
What this means if you've been told yours is Cat S/N
Three options. (1) Take the insurer's payout, hand the car over, walk away. (2) Buy the salvage retention from your insurer, repair it yourself, drive it again. (3) Buy the salvage retention, then sell it to us, we'll usually pay more than the retention figure if the car has parts demand. Option 3 is what we see most often.
Send us the reg + the cat letter from the insurer + a couple of photos. We'll come back same day with a number you can compare to the salvage retention.