Mr. XYZ took up a comprehensive motor insurance cover on his brand new car which he got for N7,500,000.00. Since the insurance premium payable would be based on the value of the vehicle, he decided to reduce the value to N3,000,000.00  so that he would not have to pay so much in premium.

Some months after, his car was involved in a ghastly accident and the cost of repairs was about N2,500,000.00. In settling his loss, his insurance company, having weighed the amount he was claiming to the sum insured, opted to treat the claim on a Constructive Total Loss(CTL) basis. By this option, it means that the insurer decided that based on their records, the vehicle was beyond economic repairs. Mr. XYZ was offered the sum of N2,800,000.00 (after all deductibles) in settlement of the claim.

Mr. XYZ found himself in a fix. The amount he was offered was not even up to half of the value of the car but he couldn’t afford to repair the car himself. However, accepting his insurer’s offer would require that he forfeits the damaged car to them in line with the conditions of the insurance policy.

You obviously cannot eat you cake and have it back. Continue reading EATING YOUR CAKE AND HAVING IT BACK →