What Happens to Your Car After an Accident Recovery?

Being involved in a road accident is one of the most disorienting experiences a driver faces. Once your vehicle has been recovered from the scene, you may feel uncertain about what happens next — particularly if your vehicle is not drivable. Here is a clear guide to the standard process.

Step 1: Recovery to a Secure Compound

If your vehicle cannot be driven immediately after recovery, it will be taken to either our secure depot compound or directly to your insurer's preferred repairer. Our compound is covered by CCTV and is accessible by appointment. Vehicles are stored in their as-recovered condition until your insurer's engineer can inspect them. If you need to retrieve personal belongings from the vehicle, call us to arrange supervised access.

Step 2: Insurer Engineer Assessment

Your insurer will arrange for an approved engineer to inspect the vehicle, typically within 2–5 working days. The engineer will assess repair costs against the vehicle's pre-accident market value to determine whether the car is economical to repair or should be written off. A car is typically written off (declared a total loss) when repair costs exceed approximately 60–70% of its pre-accident value. If written off, the insurer will offer you a settlement payment.

Step 3: Repair, Write-Off, or Salvage

If repairable, your car will be transferred to your insurer's approved repairer. If written off, it will be transferred to a salvage processor. In some cases, you can negotiate to retain the salvage (the damaged vehicle) and receive a reduced settlement — useful if you want to repair it yourself or sell it for parts. This right is protected under most UK motor insurance policies but must be exercised at the time of settlement, not afterwards.