Bumper to Bumper Insurance

What is Bumper to Bumper Insurance?

Bumper to bumper insurance, nil depreciation or zero depreciation is a type of car insurance policy that offers complete coverage to your vehicle irrespective of the depreciation on its parts. So, when there is a loss or damage caused to your vehicle after an accident, the insurer will not deduct the depreciation value from the coverage amount (excluding car batteries and tyres). The best part is that your motor insurer will pay the entire cost of replacing the vehicle’s body parts.

Bumper to bumper car insurance or full-body insurance provides full coverage for all rubber, fibre, and metal parts of your car without deducting the depreciation value. However, it will not cover engine damage resulting from oil leakage or water ingression. Any expenses incurred on mechanical breakdown, consumables or oil change are also not covered. Also, there are limitations on the number of claims that you can file in a year.

How Worthwhile is a Zero Depreciation Car Insurance Policy?

The zero-depreciation cover has its advantages over a basic comprehensive car insurance policy.

But there are no free lunches, right?

Every good thing has a cost attached to it and so does nil depreciation cover. A car insurance policy with zero depreciation rider benefit will cost nearly 20 per cent more than a no-frills car comprehensive policy. This means that you are paying a higher premium to make sure that you don’t have to chip in during your car insurance claim settlement in the future. Simply put, you are paying in advance towards those future depreciation costs.

For those who are seeking an affordable motor policy, this could be a deal-breaker. But at the same time, it will lure customers who are willing to pay higher premium rates to ensure their peace of mind.

Zero depreciation add-on cover is most suitable for people with luxury cars, new cars, car models with expensive spare parts, or people residing/driving in accident-prone areas. You can also buy bumper to bumper insurance after 5 years or 7 years for older cars.

Key Features of a Zero Depreciation Policy

Let’s check out what are the key features of zero depreciation/ nil deprecation/ bumper to bumper insurance:

• Zero depreciation cover provides coverage for fibreglass components, rubber parts, plastic, and nylon parts.
• It can be availed at the time of car insurance policy purchase and renewal.
• In a bumper to bumper policy, you can claim the full amount. Whereas in a standard policy, depreciation rates between 0% and 40% are applicable.
• The nil depreciation cover is beneficial for new cars or cars with a maximum age limit of 5 years.
• The number of claims under this add-on cover is limited, which may vary from one insurer to another.
• A zero-depreciation policy does not cover normal wear and tear or an uninsured peril.
• Damages caused due to uninsured items, such as tyres, bi-fuel kits, gas kits and mechanical breakdown, are excluded from a zero depreciation Policy.
• It is essential to renew the zero-depreciation policy every year to continue enjoying the policy benefits.

Advantages of Bumper to Bumper Car Insurance

Having nil depreciation or zero depreciation cover in your car insurance policy would mean full compensation for any car loss/damage at the time of claim settlement. The amount is certainly more than the amount reimbursed under a comprehensive car policy. This is because the claim amount in a comprehensive car insurance policy will be paid based on the current market valuation of the car after adjusting the value of depreciation.

Moreover, there will be certain costs that the car owner would need to pay from his/her own pocket for the repairs. On the other hand, in a zero-depreciation policy, you will get the entire expenses covered under the claim amount.

For instance: If your car (hatchback) was damaged and the cost of the repair was Rs 40,000, then you might have to pay anywhere between Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 from your own pocket for depreciation on metal/plastic parts. This is not the case in a zero-depreciation policy as the insurer will cover the full repair amount depending on the IDV (Insured Declared Value).

Disadvantages of Bumper to Bumper Car Insurance

A zero-depreciation add-on cover is priced at least 20 to 30 per cent higher than a basic comprehensive car insurance policy. It does not provide coverage for tyres, tubes and batteries of the car. Besides, this cover is only available with comprehensive four-wheeler insurance plans for cars up to 5 years old. Moreover, there is a limitation on the number of claims that you can file during a policy term to get the full claim benefits.

Bumper to Bumper vs Comprehensive Car Insurance

Here is a brief comparison between a comprehensive car insurance policy and a policy with zero depreciation rider benefit:

Car Depreciation and Its Impact

Car depreciation comes into play at the time of renewal or claiming of your policy. But before we delve into that, let’s know what is depreciation and how does it influence your car insurance claim.

Every vehicle tends to lose its value with time. The moment it is out of the showroom, the value gets down up to a certain percentage. Moreover, the regular wear and tear of all the parts of the vehicle lead to depreciation.

Depreciation plays an important role at the time of deciding the car insurance premium. To decide the premium, the insurer needs to arrive at the actual value of the car. By deducting the rate of depreciation, the insurer calculates the IDV, up to which an insured is compensated.

Rate of Depreciation on Cars

The Indian Motor Tariff has a fixed rate of depreciation to be applied on car parts and accessories considering which the insurers decide the IDV or settles a claim under comprehensive insurance. The rates are as given below:

So, in case of a claim, the insurance provider compensates only up to the IDV after applying the depreciation rate to the damage caused to a particular car part.

No doubt, there is a difference in the actual market value of the new parts and the depreciated parts. Hypothetically, this deference is borne by the policyholder at the time of claim.

Importance of Bumper to Bumper Car Insurance

Here is why bumper to bumper insurance for the car is one of the most sought-after insurance products in India and why you can consider it along with the basic cover:

• It makes the claim process easier for someone who is claiming car insurance for the first time by covering the full expenses incurred towards the repair or replacing of the depreciated parts listed above.
• This cover is a boon for expensive car owners that demand high maintenance. Usually, repair or replacement of any parts of these cars come at a high cost. Having this add-on relieves the policyholder by paying the full value of the part during the time of a mishap.

Consequences of Not Having Car Bumper to Bumper Insurance

In the event of an accident or total loss like theft, the only thing that comes to your mind is to claim your car insurance policy. You will be relieved thinking that the insurer will compensate for the full value of your car. But in the end, you come to know there is a huge portion of the repair or replacement cost due on you. Why?

Well! This is because:

• Your basic car policy is not aligned with the right add-on and it only covers you up to a certain limit. Hence, you’re deprived of getting the full value of the car.
• The difference between the current market value of the new car parts and the depreciated value of these parts will be paid by you only. The insurer will cover the rest of the amount only.
• The amount corresponding to the depreciation can amount to a major part of your insured amount.

Hence, consider zero depreciation cover and stay protected!

Bumper to Bumper Car Insurance: Exclusions

Even bumper to bumper insurance is not free of limitations. The policy becomes null and void under certain circumstances, such as:

• This cover may not benefit cars that are more than 5 years old.
• It doesn’t provide coverage for engine damage due to oil leakage or water ingression.
• Regular wear and tear, damage to tyre and tubes, clutch plates, bearings etc. are excluded
• If the private car is being used for a commercial purpose or vice versa.
• If the vehicle owner is not carrying valid car insurance at the time of the vehicle accident.
• No coverage is offered if the driver is found driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or other intoxicating substances
• If the driver is not carrying a valid driving license.
• If the vehicle is used for legal activities.
• If a particular claim is not registered within the stipulated timeframe of claim registration.

Deciding Car Bumper to Bumper Insurance Cost

Bumper to bumper insurance cost is decided at the time of purchasing the policy. The insurer decides the cost of zero depreciation cover by considering the below factors:

• Age of the vehicle
• The model and make of the vehicle
• The location of the vehicle owner,

However, one can check the premium before buying the policy using a bumper to bumper car insurance calculator.

Top Insurers Offering Bumper to Bumper Insurance

In order to get the right type of car insurance, you must excel the ability to select the right insurer first. With plenty of insurance companies, it might be confusing the land on the right one. Having said that, here’s a list of top insurance providers that offers comprehensive coverage for your car with an add-on option of nil depreciation cover:

• Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company
• Bharti AXA General Insurance Company
• Chola MS General Insurance Company
• Edelweiss General Insurance Company Limited
• Future Generali India Insurance Co Ltd.
• Go Digit General Insurance Limited
• HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Ltd
• IIFCO Tokio General Insurance Company Limited
• Kotak Mahindra General Insurance Company Ltd
• Liberty General Insurance Ltd.
• National Insurance Company Limited
• The New India Assurance Co. Ltd.
• The Oriental Insurance Company Ltd.
• Raheja QBE General Insurance Company Limited
• Reliance General Insurance Company
• Royal Sundaram General Insurance Co. Limited
• SBI General Insurance Company Limited
• Shriram General Insurance Co. Ltd.
• Tata AIG General Insurance Company Limited
• United India Insurance Company Ltd.
• Universal Sompo General Insurance Co. Ltd.

Disclaimer: Policybazaar Insurance Brokers Private Limited does not endorse, rate, or recommend any particular insurer or insurance product offered by an insurer.

How to Buy Bumper to Bumper Car Insurance Online?

Bumper to bumper insurance coverage can be bought online on Policybazaar.com. The process is similar to buying a comprehensive insurance cover. The only difference is you can add this cover before paying the premium for your selected amount. You can also opt for this add-on cover at the time of policy renewal if you have not bought it together with the basic motor policy.

While buying, compare the best bumper to bumper car insurance plans available online first. If you find a suitable option, pay the premium online using your credit or debit card or through net banking. The transaction is secured through an online payment gateway, which keeps your details confidential. Your car policy will be issued in less than 5 minutes.