Used car buyers have been urged to be wary of cars that have been written off by car insurance companies.

Daniel Burgess, automotive director at HPI, said car buyers can be "taken in by shiny paintwork and a low price".

However, used cars can sometimes be hiding a "multitude of faults", the expert warned.

Mr Burgess said a recent report by the UK Car Body Repair market showed that write-offs now account for almost a quarter of all car insurance claims.

Consequently, used car buyers now "face an even greater risk of potentially buying a death trap", he asserted.

An HPI Check will help car buyers to ensure they are "getting the vehicle for the right price, or walking away from an unsafe vehicle", Mr Burgess stated.

HPI's used car valuations expert Martin Keighley recently advised car buyers to "think carefully" before committing to a purchase.

People ought to consider how a vehicle's value may depreciate in the future, the expert said.

A recent police campaign in Tayside may help cut the number of car insurance claims in the area, it has been suggested.The force revealed it conducted a 24-hour crackdown on a variety of motoring offe...

Motorists keen to buy a vehicle that can help them protect the competitive deal they have secured on over-50s car insurance may be impressed with the Honda Accord's performance in a recent safety asse...

Thames Valley police stopped more than 550 motorists last week for a range of offences, including driving without car insurance.During the five-day initiative, officers worked with representatives fro...