One of the major events in a car ownership journey could be a total loss. It happens when a car gets damaged beyond repair. But what about the insurance aspect and what to do if you find yourself in such an unfortunate situation? In this article, we will help you understand if you can raise car insurance claims for damages beyond repair.
Damage beyond repair is a simple name for what is called 'Total Loss'. It is a term your car insurance company will use if you face major car damage. To be precise, a car will be declared as a total loss when its repair cost is more than 75% of the current value.
Since the repair cost is so high, it is usually a good idea to salvage the car instead of getting it repaired. Your car insurance policy will terminate after you make this kind of major claim.
It is possible to claim for damage beyond repair, however, there is one major condition that you must fulfil. You must have a Comprehensive Car Insurance Policy. This is one of the most important conditions because it includes something called the ‘Own Damage’ cover. It covers your car against many types of damages including damages from accidents, fire, natural calamities, and more.
Remember that you cannot claim for damage beyond repair if you have a basic Third-party Car Insurance Policy. Simply because it does not offer insurance coverage against your car. Thus, it is always advisable that you invest money in buying a Comprehensive Car Insurance Policy to cover possible damage to the car.
Here are some tips on how you can ensure a smooth claim process and settlement in case your car gets damaged beyond repair.
Contact the customer care executive, they will guide you through the claim process. Ensure that you adhere to the instructions for a smooth and quick claim settlement process.
One of the most important documents for filing a Total Loss claim is the First Information Report (FIR) filed at the nearest police station. It provides a detailed report of the damage, especially in case of an accident. You will also need to submit soft copies of documents like your car insurance policy number, driver’s licence, ID proof, residential proof, etc. as requested by the car insurance company.
Thanks to technology, you can record a video of the damage or take pictures. This will help you create a strong case to support your Total Loss claim.
But first things first, if you got into an accident then getting help and the necessary medical treatment will be your priority. Once you and/or other passengers are safe and stable, then you can think about collecting evidence for raising a claim.
Your next step is to follow the insurer’s claim process and submit all possible details. At ACKO, we will ask you some questions when you raise a claim on the website or the mobile app. Your answers will give us a fair idea about the nature of your car insurance claim and the current situation.
Other insurers may ask you to fill up a physical claim form. You can take the help of a middleman to do so.
Being honest about what really happened will help you to get the best possible support from your car insurance company. But if you provide false or misleading information then your claim will get rejected and it will be upon the insurer’s discretion if they want to continue the coverage.
The insurance regulator has fixed certain values for calculating the depreciation on the car. They refer to the following table when they get a total loss claim.
| Age of the car | Age-wise depreciation (percentage of ex-showroom price) |
| Under 6 months | 0.05 |
| Between 6 and 1 year | 0.15 |
| Between 1 year to 2 years | 0.2 |
| Between 2 and 3 years | 0.3 |
| Between 3 and 4 years | 0.4 |
| Between 4 and 5 years | 0.5 |
| Beyond 5 years | To be decided between car owner and insurer |
Depreciation decreases the value of a car due to regular wear and tear, and usage. This is why the market value of your car reduces with each passing year.
Depreciation also plays an important role in case of a total loss claim. The insurance company will first calculate the cost of repairing damage to the car. Then they calculate depreciation on the car. Now if the repair cost is more than 75% of the car’s value then it is declared as a total loss claim.
Here is a list of things that you must avoid if you wish to get a successful claim settlement for damage beyond repair.
A claim for damage beyond repair is one of the major claims you can make against your Comprehensive Car Insurance Policy. After claim settlement, you can choose to buy another car or use the money for any other purpose as you deem fit. But remember that the policy will end with this claim. Your next car insurance policy will be to cover the new car.
Another situation when you can file a Total Loss claim is in case of car theft. Even if this comes under Total Loss, the claim process is slightly different than for damage beyond repair claims. Here you need to submit documents that seal the fact that the car is stolen. For example, you need to get the ‘non-traceable’ report from the police department.
Also Read: 5 Things To Consider Before Buying A Used Car
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