What are Cat S/N flags?
3 min read·Updated April 2026
Cat flags are insurance write-off categories. A car that’s been written off and repaired carries a permanent marker on its history — and a permanent discount at retail. ScanAuctions surfaces the flag so you can factor in repair costs and resale impact before you bid.
The categories
- Cat A — scrap only, can’t be repaired or returned to the road.
- Cat B — body shell scrap, salvageable parts only.
- Cat S — structurally damaged but repairable (frame, chassis).
- Cat N — non-structural damage (panels, electrical, cosmetic).
- Cat C / D — legacy categories used pre-2017, less common now but still appear on older stock.
Where it shows up
Cat flags appear as a red pill on the car row in scan results. Clean cars don’t show a pill at all — absence is the default. The pill text is the category code (S, N, etc.) so you can spot the flag at a glance without clicking through.
Resale impact
Discounts vary by spec and how visible the damage history is, but as a rough guide:
- Cat S — expect a 25-40% discount off clean retail.
- Cat N — typically 10-20% off clean retail.
- Buyers will check HPI before purchase — the flag will be found, so price honestly.
ScanAuctions includes Cat flags in the data feed when the source platform exposes them. Always re-verify with HPI before bidding — we don’t run HPI ourselves yet, and a missing flag in our feed isn’t a guarantee the car is clean.
Cat S and Cat N stock can be very profitable if you have a good repairer and an honest retail strategy — the trick is knowing the discount range and pricing the buy accordingly. Don’t pay clean money for written-off stock.
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