thanks again folks. insurance is with Adrian flux, policy is with highway, they said i ccould salvage it if they wrote it off, but wot use is that! i'd be out the write-off money, have to reinsure the car all over again as a Cat D or whatever write-off and STILL need to repair it from my own pocket. its actually cheaper to keep the insurance folk out of it. i dread to think wot they would even give me for a write-off, whatever book price is i guess, which is probably like....£500. i couldnt do anything with that! rick and i are organising a back bumper that should be here early next