Know more about the total loss car insurance claim process 25^th February 2021

Car insurance might include many technical languages that can be difficult to grasp or make sense of. One such concept that might perplex people is "total loss." If you are involved in an unfortunate event where your vehicle sustains significant damage, this is referred to as ‘Total Loss’ in insurance jargon.

This is a tragic situation, and you must follow particular procedures to submit an insurance claim. In case of a total loss, the cost of restoring and repairing your car exceeds 75% of the insured declared value (IDV). Let us learn more about this term, what it means, and some other areas of motor insurance linked to it.

Total loss in car insurance:

When the calculated cost of repairing a damaged vehicle exceeds the car's actual cash worth, the automobile is considered a "total loss." Such a claim differs from other small claims since it requires more work. When an automobile is deemed a total loss by its insurance company, it is referred to as a totalled car.

Total loss can be caused by two means:

• Car getting stolen

• Car getting wrecked beyond repair in an accident

Furthermore, a constructive total loss occurs when the anticipated cost to repair or replace the insured vehicle exceeds its real market worth. Constructive total loss is so severe that it is cheaper and wiser to purchase a new car instead. This is mainly because there is little likelihood of returning the vehicle to its previous condition.

What to do if you suffer a total loss?

You have the option of selling the remaining pieces of your wrecked vehicle to a scrap dealer. Some components are recyclable, while others are not. The scrap trader will separate these pieces and recycle them for other purposes.

The next important step is to cancel your RC certificate at your closest RTO office. It is your responsibility to comply within a 14-day grace time to submit a notification to the RTO office. When you cancel your registration, you provide a guarantee that the same registration will not go to anyone else.

The next move would be to submit a Total Loss claim. When you submit a claim, the insurance provider is only obligated to pay the IDV. If you already have the ‘Return to Invoice add-on’ on your coverage, the motor insurance provider is obligated to pay the entire amount of the car invoice. This add-on allows you to acquire the total value of the vehicle rather than just the insured declared value.

For those who are newly purchasing car insurance, do not sleep on the Return to Invoice add-on. This is something that will ultimately work in your favour. Things are always uncertain when you're on the road, so be responsible and do not travel without car insurance. Take serious responsibility for protecting your possessions and make wise investments in security that will reap you good benefits at the hour of need. Watch out for your car insurance renewal dates and always renew them beforehand.

To get a car insurance renewal, click HERE .

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.