Buying a car is no easy feat; you've got to consider the make, the model, the safety features and whether it's spacious enough for you and your needs.
So, what do you do when you find a car that looks like a great deal but you find out it's been involved in an accident?
In October 2017, what was formerly known as Category C and Category D were renamed to Category S and N respectively. Their definitions remained the same.
With the help of Glyn Morgan, deputy head of engineering at Admiral, and the Association of British Insurers (ABI) guidelines, we'll tell you everything you need to know about buying and insuring cars that have been previously written off.
There are four categories of write-off to consider, A,B,S N, here are the car insurance categories explained:
The first thing you should do is get as much information as possible on the car's history to find out if a car you're looking to purchase has previously been written off. A vehicle history check will also tell you if the car is stolen or has any outstanding finance on it.
Companies like HPI and the AA can carry out history checks online or over the phone for around £30.
Glyn says: "If you're looking to purchase one of these it should only ever be a Category S or N. 'S' means that the repairable damage to the vehicle affects the main welded or otherwise permanently assembled vehicle body, while 'N' means non-structural damage.
"As of 1 October 2017 the DVLA identifies vehicles which have been subject to an S ‘Structural damaged repairable salvage’ codification. A note to this effect will be added to the vehicle’s V5C document.
"You should try to find out the extent of the damage, images of the damage, details of the repairer, what was repaired and how much it cost to repair. We would recommend an independent inspection by a professional prior to purchase to ensure that the car has been repaired correctly and safely."