Getting the best deal from a wreck

Car write-offs can be massive administrative hassles. But as Emma Lunn explains, they can be turned to you financial advantage.

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There might be a better home for your old wreck
(Image credit: Peter Vahlersvik)

If you've been involved in a bad crash there is a strong chance that you may never see your car again: every day more than 1,000 cars are deemed write-offs by their insurance companies. They will either never be roadworthy again or they cost more to fix than the insurer reckons they are worth, so they'd prefer to send you a cheque to replace your wreck than pay up to repair it.

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Emma Lunn

Emma Lunn is a multi-award-winning journalist who specialises in personal finance and consumer issues. With more than 18 years’ experience in personal finance, Emma has covered topics including mortgages, first-time buyers, leasehold, banking, debt, budgeting, broadband, energy, pensions and investments. Emma’s one of the most prolific freelance personal finance journalists with a back catalogue of work in newspapers such as The Guardian, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph, the Mail on Sunday and the Mirror. As a freelancer she has also completed various in-house contracts at The Guardian, The Independent, Mortgage Solutions, Orange and Moneywise. 

She also writes regularly for specialist magazines and websites such as Property Hub, Mortgage Strategy and YourMoney.com. She’s particularly proud of her work writing about the leasehold sector and a Guardian front-page story about a dodgy landlord. She has a real passion for helping people learn about money – especially when many people are struggling to get by in today’s challenging economic climate – and prides herself on simplifying complex subjects.