Good to know: We are a Claims Management Company (CMC). You do not need to use a CMC to make your complaint to your lender, bank or insurer. If your complaint is not successful you can refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service yourself for free if the firm is still trading. For eligible failed firms, you can refer a claim to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme for free.
When your insurance company declared your written-off car a total loss, did you feel they shortchanged you on the insurance payout? You’re not alone. Many drivers discover their payout was less than expected, leaving them underpaid by hundreds – sometimes thousands – of pounds[1] for their damaged vehicles.
If you had a written-off vehicle and received an undervalued insurance claim settlement, Allegiant is here to help recover the money you should have received. We can prove to the insurer that your insurance payout was too low by gathering evidence and documentation to support your claim. We guarantee No Upfront Fees, and you only pay us if we successfully reclaim your missing money from your insurance company.
Think about that hollow feeling when you sell something for less than it’s worth – that’s exactly what may have happened with your car insurance settlement. The difference is that insurance companies are regulated and shouldn’t be undervaluing your car or expecting you to haggle over the valuation, yet this still happens in some cases.
The money you lost isn’t gone forever. If your vehicle was declared a write-off within the last 6 years, you may be eligible to recover the underpayment from your insurance company.
These are genuine customers who Allegiant helped recover underpayments – no stress required once they decided to claim:
Mr A started his claim with Allegiant in January 2025 for his Mazda written-off car in July 2023. Aviva admitted they undervalued his car and paid him an additional £1,155 – money that was rightfully his all along.
Mr B contacted us in February 2025 about his Land Rover that suffered substantial damage in October 2020. Ageas agreed to re-value the vehicle, returning £1,042 to his pocket.
Miss C started her claim in February 2025 for her Vauxhall Corsa total loss in June 2021. Admiral agreed to make things right, paying her £1,037 in missing compensation.
Mr D reclaimed £905 from Hastings Direct for his Volkswagen Golf written-off vehicle in September 2021 – money he should have received years ago.
A vehicle write-off occurs when repair costs exceed your car’s value or it’s deemed an uneconomical repair. Insurers use the vehicle’s market value and the value of the vehicle to determine if it should be declared a write-off. Insurance companies then offer compensation based on your car’s pre-incident market value – but they don’t always get this valuation right.
There are four categories of write-offs that have evolved over time to better reflect the type of damage:
The extent of damage to damaged vehicles, including the body shell and other parts, affects the write-off category and salvage process. Insurers deal with disposal or salvage of written-off vehicles, which impacts the vehicle’s future use, insurance eligibility, and value. Some previously written-off vehicles enter the motor trade section for part exchange or are sold for parts.
Between 2019 and 2024, over 3 million cars were written off in the UK. This would have resulted in some owners receiving less than their vehicles were worth, losing money they’ll never know about unless they enquire. The cost to customers could be significant.
| Year | Cars Written Off |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 556,418 |
| 2020 | 414,593 |
| 2021 | 449,737 |
| 2022 | 524,321 |
| 2023 | 559,870 |
| 2024 | 562,185 |
| Total | 3,067,124 |
When your car is subject to total loss claims, knowing its true market value is essential to ensure you receive a fair insurance payout. Market value is the price your vehicle would fetch if sold on the open market just before the accident or incident. Allegiant is here to help you with all this.
Insurance companies typically assess market value by consulting industry price guides, reviewing recent sales of similar vehicles, and considering the car’s make, model, age, mileage, and overall condition. They examine the vehicle’s history, including any previous accidents, repairs, or if it was previously written off.
A Category N vehicle may retain more value than a Cat S vehicle due to the nature of structural damage sustained. The vehicle licensing agency (DVLA) records also matter when assessing value. What matters most for your finances is the value your vehicle had immediately before the accident — not its worth as salvaged wreckage — because the pre-incident value determines how much you receive from your insurance settlement.
The insurance company’s assessment isn’t always final. If you believe their payout value is too low, you have the right to challenge it before accepting the settlement. You can prove your case by gathering evidence that your vehicle is worth more than what your insurance company says it is worth:
When dealing with a finance company, additional considerations may apply to the insurance claim process.
If you have already received a payout you believe is too low, and didn’t challenge it at the time, this is where Allegiant can step in and help you recover your past losses.
Insurance companies sometimes use insufficient pricing data or conservative valuations to minimise insurance payouts, creating discrepancies with your car’s true market value. This practice can result in insured customers receiving unfair compensation. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned insurers about this:
“When making an insurance claim, people shouldn’t need to question whether they are being offered the right amount for their written-off car or other goods that they need to replace. Insurance firms should offer settlements at the fair market value. This is especially important now as people struggling with the cost of living will be hit in the pocket at precisely the time they can ill afford it.” – FCA[2]
Act before it’s too late. Insurers and regulators set clear time limits for vehicle write-off claims. Don’t keep waiting – the clock is ticking on your right to claim.
The UK Financial Ombudsman explains: “There are certain time-limit rules that apply to our service. One is when a complaint is referred more than six years after the event, or if later, three years after the consumer knew they had cause to complain.”[3]
If your car was subject to a total loss insurance claim within the last 6 years, you may still be able to recover your missing money.
We investigate whether you were underpaid on your car insurance total loss settlement. Our team doesn’t just respond to your enquiry – we take action:
Some insurance companies only offer additional compensation when challenged. Without speaking up, you’ll never recover the money you lost.
In addition to starting your claim with Allegiant, consider the following:
After total loss claims, your insurance premiums may be affected when you purchase a new car. Insurers decide premiums based on various factors, including claim history.
If your vehicle suffered an accident requiring roadside assistance, this may be the first indication that your car could be declared a write-off. Emergency services can assess whether damage makes economical repair unlikely.
Previously written-off vehicles that are restored to roadworthy condition may have reduced part exchange value. The motor trade section of the logbook becomes important when selling or scrapping such vehicles.
No matter the category of damage, the key matter is ensuring you receive fair compensation. Don’t let cost concerns, time and stress prevent you from challenging an unfair insurance payout.
Don’t let your insurance company keep money that belongs to you.
References:
Click below to see answers to common queries.
A vehicle write-off, or total loss, occurs when your insurer decides that the cost of repairing your vehicle is economical based on its market value before the incident. The insurer will declare it a total loss and provide a settlement based on its pre-accident value.
Yes you can still make a claim. An insurance company treats a claim as a “fault” claim when it can’t get back any of the costs it’s paid out to settle the claim from a third party (such as another driver’s insurer). This does not change the fact that your insurer should make a payout reflecting the true pre-accident market value of your vehicle.
Some insurers offer a lower initial settlement, assuming the customer might accept it or might not know how to challenge it. This is a point of concern highlighted by the UK regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority.
Even if the insurer increases its valuation, it still may not be high enough when compared to the objective guidance available for valuing vehicles.
If you cannot remember the registration of your vehicle, we can still help. Simply enter the details of the vehicle manually and we should be able to find the vehicle and registration for you to continue a write-off claim.
You’re still responsible for any remaining finance payments. The reclaim against your insurer, for potentially undervaluing your written-off vehicle, is completely separate to any contractual agreement you have with your finance company.
Unfortunately, in order to make the claim, it would need to be the policyholder of the vehicle and not a named driver. Even if you were driving at the time of the accident. It would still need to be the policyholder who makes the claim
Yes, the valuation considers factors like age, mileage, model, and additional features. Allegiant ensures these factors are considered fairly, where that information is available.
Allegiant can assist with claims for incidents up to six years old, making it possible to revisit past claims where recent guidance suggests a higher valuation should have been used. If the write-off is more than 6 years ago, certain time limit restrictions for making a reclaim could apply.
We realise that claiming against an insurer may feel daunting. We aim to make the claiming process as simple as possible. Our experienced team will communicate with your insurance company (and where required, the Ombudsman service) on your behalf. We use bespoke technology to ensure efficient claims handling. Throughout the process, we inform you of claim progress using a “stage process”, so you can track your progress easily. Please remember, that you do not need to use a claims management company to make your complaint to your insurer, and if your complaint is not successful you can refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service yourself for free.
Pre complaint investigation and analysis
Formal complaint made, where appropriate.
Insurer responds with a Final Response Letter
If an appropriate outcome cannot be reached, referral to Financial Ombudsman Service.
Our success fee is due only if your insurer makes a compensation payout, and is calculated on the amount of the compensation payout
The success fee amount is calculated using a band charging system. There are five charging bands. Each band has a maximum amount that we will charge.
Success Fee Charging Table
| Band | Compensation Payout | Percentage rate the Success Fee is calculated on (including VAT) | Maximum Success Fee in band (including VAT) |
| 1 | £1 to £1,499 | 36% | £504 |
| 2 | £1,500 to £9,999 | 33.60% | £3,000 |
| 3 | £10,000 to £24,999 | 30% | £6,000 |
| 4 | £25,000 to £49,999 | 24% | £,9000 |
| 5 | £50,000 or more | 18% | £12,000 |
Below are examples of how this would work in practice.
| Band | Comp Payout (Lower) | Success Fee (Lower) | Comp Payout (Higher) | Success Fee (Higher) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | £100 | £36 | £1,499 | £504 |
| 2 | £1,600 | £537.60 | £9,999 | £3,000 |
| 3 | £12,000 | £3,600 | £24,999 | £6,000 |
| 4 | £30,350 | £7,284 | £49,999 | £9,000 |
| 5 | £55,000 | £9,900 | £100,000 | £12,000 |
If you want to see how much we would charge for a specific amount, please visit our online fee calculator on our fees page.
Please note that the examples in the tables are for illustration purposes only. They are not an estimate of the likely outcome or success fee.
You can cancel for free at any time within 14-days without giving any reason and without incurring any liability. You can communicate your cancellation by telephone, post, email or online.
You can cancel this agreement at any time after the 14-day cancellation period. However, if a complaint submitted by us is successful, the Success Fee will apply in the usual way.
You can cancel by post: Allegiant Finance Services Limited, Freepost RTYU–XUTZ–YKJC, 400 Chadwick House, Warrington Road, Birchwood Park, Warrington, WA3 6AE; (b) by email: helpdesk@allegiant-finance.co.uk; (c) by telephone: 0345 544 1563; or (d) online at HERE.
Allegiant Finance Services was founded in 2010 and has helped over 100,000 customers reclaim over £80,000 across all claim types.
Vehicle write-offs can be traumatic. We’re here to support clients through their quest for reimbursement.
We will only correspond with you and keep your details secure. We’ll never sell your data
Fill in our form and our advisors will review whether you are eligible for our service.
Good to know: We are a Claims Management Company (CMC). You do not need to use a CMC to make your complaint to your lender, bank or insurer. If your complaint is not successful you can refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service yourself for free if the firm is still trading. For eligible failed firms, you can refer a claim to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme for free.
