write off meaning

Ah, the dreaded "write-off"—the automotive equivalent of a bad breakup. In Australia, when your beloved vehicle is deemed a "write-off," it means the insurance company has decided that repairing it would cost more than its market value, or the car is beyond practical repair.

There are two main types: statutory write-off, where the car is a total loss and cannot be legally repaired or re-registered, and repairable write-off, where it can be fixed but is still declared a loss for insurance purposes.

So, in short, a write-off is the insurer's polite way of telling you, "Move on, mate." For buying or selling such vehicles, keep an eye on Tradingpost or CarShowroom, but beware the risks.