Motor insurance salvage codes are changing

From the 1st of October 2017, new letter codes will be used to signify whether a damaged vehicle should be fixed or scrapped. The revisions, which have been co-ordinated by the Association of British Insurers, follow a two-year review.

Out go the current A, B, C and D categories. They're going to be replaced by A, B, S and N classifications that are intended to better reflect post-incident condition rather than repair costs.

New ABI Categories	Old ABI Categories
A – Scrap Complete vehicle must be crushed without parts being removed.	A – Scrap Few or no economically salvageable parts; must be crushed.
B – Break Non-structural usable parts can be recycled (except airbags and seatbelts); bodyshell / frame / chassis must be crushed.	B – Break Parts can be taken if economically viable (except airbags and seatbelts); bodyshell / frame / chassis must be crushed.
S – Structural Damage, Repairable If replaced, the original bodyshell / frame / chassis must be crushed. If not sold on, may be broken for spares as per Cat B.	C – Repairable Total Loss Vehicle Repair costs (including VAT) exceed the vehicle's pre-accident value. If not sold on, may be broken for spares as per Cat B.
N – Non-structural Damage, Repairable Some safety-critical components might need replacing. If not sold on, may be broken for spares as per Cat B.	D – Repairable Total Loss Vehicle Repair costs (including VAT) don't exceed the vehicle's pre-accident value. If not sold on, may be broken for spares as per Cat B.

Minimum qualification requirements for individuals responsible for assessing salvage status are also being introduced.

However, as the ABI freely admits, the whole process remains a voluntary Code of Practice. Consequently, unscrupulous operators could still return vehicles to the road that are only fit for crushing or breaking.