Cat S vs Cat N: what is the difference?
Both mean an insurer wrote the car off and both can be repaired and driven again. Cat S means the damage reached the structure of the car. Cat N means it did not. That one difference shapes the price, the insurance and the questions to ask.
Updated 14 October 2026
Side by side
Damage: Cat S reached the chassis or a load-bearing part. Cat N did not.
Back on the road: both can be, once repaired to a roadworthy condition.
Log book: a kept Cat S car gets a duplicate V5C with the category recorded in it. A Cat N car keeps its log book.
Typical discount: about 20 to 40 per cent for Cat S, about 10 to 25 per cent for Cat N, against the same car with a clean record.
Is Cat N always the safer buy?
Not always. The letter tells you where the damage was, not what caused it. A Cat N car that was flooded can develop electrical faults and corrosion for years. A Cat S car with a rear chassis leg properly repaired on a jig can be perfectly sound.
So ask what happened. Theft recoveries are often the best write-offs to buy. Flood and fire damage are the ones to be wary of, whatever the letter says.
Insurance
Both can usually be insured. Cat S is declined by more insurers and costs more with some. Quote on the actual registration before you buy, because the marker is tied to that car.
Which to choose
If you are keeping the car for years and can see the repair invoices, a Cat S car can be good value. If you want the simplest ownership and resale, Cat N is easier.
Either way, the evidence matters more than the category: invoices from a named bodyshop, a clean MOT history since the repair, and your own mechanic’s inspection.
When you come to sell
The marker stays with the car, so the next buyer will see it and expect the same discount you had. Keep every invoice and the MOT history together; a buyer who can see the repair and the years since will pay more than one who has only the letter.
Say it in the advert. Hiding a category from a buyer who finds it on their own check ends the sale and the trust.
Checking which one you are looking at
A vehicle history check shows the category and the date, and often what was damaged. An Odomint Check explains it in plain English, and includes every MOT since the car was new free, so you can see how it has held up since the write-off.
Common questions
Is Cat S worse than Cat N?
Generally, because the damage was structural. But a well repaired Cat S can be a better car than a flood-damaged Cat N, so ask what caused it.
Do Cat S and Cat N cars need an MOT?
Yes, like any other car of the same age. An MOT does not inspect how well a structural repair was done.
Can I get finance on a Cat S or Cat N car?
Some lenders will finance them and some will not. Ask before you commit, and expect the lender to want the category disclosed.
Check any car before you buy it
MOT history, every advisory and the full mileage record are free for any UK registration. An Odomint Check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen markers and salvage history, with a £10,000 data guarantee.