A bit of a crash...

It's worth haggling and not accepting the first offer they make.
If you buy it back from them as 'salvage' you have to go to one of the govt MOT stations where they do the HGVs etc. and get an in depth test. It's not really expensive. After that you can reinsure it and put it on the road. Once they decide it is 'total loss' the insurance is cancelled so you need to start a new policy. Worth getting a requote as the new status may change things a little.
That route does give you the option for a cheap repair, a roadworthy vehicle and some extra cash. Not ideal but sometimes the best option.

Ray

Thanks everyone for the input. I've written a reply saying what the real value of the car is closer to (given what I paid 6 months ago and the 400 quids worth of new bearings and discs I did just a couple months ago) and used examples of several identical cars on auto trader that are going for much more than 2400. They have to replace the car 'like for like' to before the accident and 2400 doesn't cut it. They said they'll get back to me Monday. Fingers crossed. If I get a decent figure for it I will strip as much from the car as pos before they take it away like all the extras - reckon I could go as far as the spare wheel and back seats?

11/60 wrote: I would suggest that for 1500 if you used second hand parts it would be possible to make a decent job of the repair especially if your bodyshop has some actual flair and don't just bolt on new panels and paint.

Exactly this. It's a 10+ year old car isn't it? It's never going to be economical to rebuild one side with new panels. But a new front wing and a bit of panel work will see it looking as good as new and should leave you with some change from £1500.

Bearings and brakes are wear and tear items, they don't change the value of your car.

Ok, but if I can get. Good price for a write off I'll go for that I think since I was thinking of selling anyway before the crash and this might make it easier. I'll just see what they say to my request to get more, if they won't budge enough I'll go for the 1500 option and try and repair cheaply. If I buy car back off them will it be registered as a cat c or d and will I have to get new insurance?

If it's a CAT D (which I think it is) as I understand it you won't need a VIC check and nothing will appear on the V5 BUT will show up on an HPI check AND you are supposed to declare it when selling it on and you can be prosecuted if you don't declare it.
CAT D vehicles will always be worth less than untouched vehicles so you need to take this in to account when thinking of future values.
Put it this way you buy it back for £1500 and spend app £500 putting it right inc paint you still might only get £2k or less when you sell it. Yes you could probably sort it for less on a cheap DIY basis but you might have to get paintwork done or other new parts if you can't do it yourself.
If it was some highly modified car it might be worth it but an older standard car is just that.
Yes your existing insurance will be cancelled so you'll need to get that as well.

Personally I would take the offer (or more if they up it) unless you are going to keep it for a few years in which case you can return it to how you want it but you will never get full market value in the future even if you return it to as near new as you can get it
Perhaps it would make a good off road project where you could get an agreed value next time you insure it otherwise just let it go.
Insurance isn't always fair as they tend to give you the lowest book price anyway especially on older cars
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Just checked some "book" prices/guides and your car as a p/x is marked at app £2400!!

2400 is exactly what they offered! I'm aiming for 3500ish... Let's see what they say on monday