Car Insurance And Car Spare Parts - What You Need To Know

Team Digit, 08 Jul 2019

 

 

A car is an integration of multiple parts working together to give you an experience of a smooth drive. When you buy a car, there are a lot of things you need to look into - mileage, capacity, engine power and most importantly, the availability of car spare parts.

Although the cost of spare parts of cars ranges depending on the model and the manufacturing date of the car, one can have a rough idea of what each part costs:

·       The cost of service and maintenance ranges between INR 20,000 to INR 30,000, and higher for diesel cars

·       Wear and tear parts like tyres, battery, brake pad replacement, clutch plate assembly, shocker replacement and AC servicing can cost up to INR 35,000 for a small car

·       Maintenance of circuits and electrical components and accidental repairs fall under unaccounted costs

What to do if your car spare parts need a replacement?

 

The original spare parts

Usually, one would go for the manufactured spare parts, that the servicing agencies provide. The manufacturers of cars also manufacture these and supply them to warehouses, stores and dealer services. Although these are genuine, at the same time they are costly and can burn a hole in anyone’s pocket.

Maintenance doesn’t always include replacement of spare parts

After all, a car is a machine that needs maintenance. More often than not, the average car service cost claimed by the manufacturers only includes the basic servicing, assuming all parts are working well. But, at times, some parts might fail or get damaged and the owner must bear the expense of spare parts replacement.

Should you compromise on the quality?

Certain body parts don’t need to be original and won’t affect the working of the car, like:

·       Seat Covers

·       Blinkers

·       Wipers

·       Rear view mirrors

·       Door handles, windshield

·       Bumpers

Duplicate car parts

But what if you could arrange for cheap car parts on your own and only pay the cost of spare parts replacement which will cost much less? Several companies produce spare parts that replicate the company-made parts and are usually good as they compete with the original spare parts. These companies do not have a contract with the car manufacturer, and produce these at an affordable price.

How does car insurance help?

A Comprehensive Car Insurance plan will cover the replacement of car spare parts under the following circumstances:

·       When the vehicle is damaged in an accident

·       Due to a natural disaster

The Breakdown Assistance Add-On Cover also provides replacement of parts and repair of minor complaints that proves very useful when on a long drive. You will also be entitled to the following benefits:

·       Choosing the garage for your vehicle repair

·       The choice of novel yet beneficial add-on covers.

Add-on cover for car insurance

If you feel that frequent claims for replacement of spare parts might increase your premium amount, consider a suitable add-on cover like the Digit Zero Depreciation Add-On Cover.

It is also called the parts depreciation cover. This is how the add-on cover helps to have blanket insurance coverage for car spare parts:

·       Specific parts of your car including the metal and fibreglass plates decrease in value as the years progress

·       In case of damage, the depreciation is deducted from the claim amount

·       By purchasing this add-on, you will receive the full value that you are eligible to get for repair or replacement of a spare part.

This cover is ideal for cars that are less than 5 years old and provides all of the above except spare part replacement that arises due to drunken driving or negligence.

Next time your car needs new parts, your car insurance will take care of it!

 

 

 

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Digit is a General Insurance company on a mission to Make Insurance Simple for people. We are backed by Fairfax, one of the largest insurance companies in the world.

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