CAT D means the insurance company doesn't want it repaired at the price a main dealer wants for the labour, because the dealer doesn't want the job.
There are many CAD D cars bought from insurance companies by Main Dealer Mechanics who, in their own time, repair it. CAT D is nothing to do with the safety of a car, it is, in my view, a device used by dealers and insurers to sell more new cars.
There is also a large element of the Insurance Estimator not having a substantial knowledge of the car, therefore does not want risk factor of going over budget
on repair spend, therefore he/she takes the smart route of calculating the percentage of pay out + resale salvage value. Therefore if the insurer decides to pay out
they automatically have to categories the vehicle.
