Smoke on the Water - Total Losses - Insurance & Arson

Allow me to help you, understand why your strategy is flawed, so that you don’t end up in jail, or worse, up for potentially treason charges – and this is coming from a place of balance, truly – let me break this down, piece by piece, so you that understand, and can cease with such activities.

Now going into this, I will admit, perhaps the various nuances of how motor insurance policies work in the United States of America are slightly different to Australia but on this particular topic we are about to discuss, I imagine they are more or less the same.

If you own a car in Australia, depending on the kind of policy that you hold, may determine what happens in the event of a Total Loss.

A Total Loss, or what most people call in plain speak a “Write Off” is when a car is damaged beyond the extent of repair.

There are also other types of write off, notably, an economic write off, whereby the parts required to repair the vehicle, exceed the cost of the vehicle as based on market value.

So if a vehicle is involved in an incident, be it a car crash, weather event, or act of crime, and damaged to beyond the extent of repair, the most common things that will occur, as determined by the insurer are usually.

• Fixed Value Settlement
• Market Value Settlement
• New for Old

It does depend on the type of policy that has been taken out, by the policy holder, which generally can differ, from insurer, to insurer, this is to say, always be familiar with your own insurance policy, in at least the capacity that it relates to you and certain things that you may have specific interest in having coverage for.

In a practical sense, no insurer, in reality, expects you to remember your product disclosure statement, however, you should at least be familiar with critical points that concern your lifestyle, area of travel, intended use of the vehicle.

If a vehicle is damaged, and it can be repaired, a large percentage of insurers, will attempt to source “Genuine Parts” and these parts, are commonly, not always, but commonly sourced directly from the Manufacturer of the vehicle, this is particularly so, when it is a specialist vehicle, such as electric vehicles, because there is not a large abundance of after market parts, or “no frills” versions of parts, at time of writing.

If the vehicle is a total loss, and it is New for Old, particularly in the case of electric vehicles, the replacement vehicle will be sourced either from a reputable dealership that carry the stock, or directly from the manufacturer.

All of these scenarios, in a niche sector of vehicles, one way or another, would generate revenue for the manufacturer of the vehicle.

It is also important for you to take into consideration, that while in most Arson investigations, often, the cost to pursue the perpetrator often exceeds that of the cost of doing so, in the event of the quantum, being significant enough, should the insurance company deem a recovery is viable, they will attempt to conclude that investigation to thus allow to commence with legal proceedings to recover from the individually in a civil suit.

That of course is up to the discretion of the loss adjustor, and insurance company proper, but it is my understanding American insurance companies are far more inclined to not pay-out and pursue recovery than their Australian counterparts.

This is to say, that even, should a police investigation yield no outcome, a private sector investigation could because the American insurance companies have significantly more capital at their disposal compared to the public, simply because the public sector is significantly undermanned and stretched thin with the state of the world at the moment.

And once legal proceedings were issued, this would of course then be recorded by the courts, because it is a court matter, of whom, are guarded, by the Police, who then, would be perfectly within their rights to record and observe said proceedings and correlate it previously un-concluded cases.

So calmly, while I am for free speech, and the right to public assembly and peaceful protest, with some insight from someone who understands how insurers work and think, can you begin to see how this might not be the best strategy for you?

Think what you want – about an individual – I respect your right to do that, but if you are trying to make a political statement, through such acts of violence, can you not see, based on what I have written here how you are actually not doing your “cause” any good?

Many people I consider good friends, and respected countrymen and women, have found themselves affected by budget cuts also, and yet, on the burden of probabilities at no point have I blamed, that individual, for waking up, going to work, and doing the job he has been requested to do.

Perhaps, the individual does have some questionable thoughts, activities, or tastes, to that I would not be privy, or aware, but I will say this, if he was actually, what you claim him to be, logically & reasonably, he would never have passed security evaluation to be able to work for his current employer, so there for, he cant be can he?

Can you see how sometimes when you sit down calmly, over a morning cup of coffee, or an evening glass of whiskey and break things down piece by piece and stop thinking about the rhetoric and just think things through the picture becomes clearer.

And that is coming from me, a notorious “hot head” at times.

Again, from “Across the Isle” as they say, just some friendly, well-intentioned advice, now if it was me? and let us say, for whatever reason, the scenario was the other way around, if I took issue with a particular motor vehicle company, I would not protest against it, I would seek to start my own motor vehicle company, develop a superior product and “fight the battle” on the grounds of merit in the marketplace, perhaps engage in meaningful political discussion with local officials, and inject relevant debate, not inflammatory, but relevant discussion by way of the media.

From a psychology point of view, for most of the people who hold different political views to you, when they observe your protests, and actions, of such a nature, ranging from the very small, to very extreme, you re-enforce their views, and the likelihood of you reaching reconciliation to the extent to allow bi-partisan review of government policy becomes more challenging.

Correct me if I am wrong, but there are quite an abundance of you both in America, and globally, are there not, and as I have said, your thoughts are respected, and allowed by law, would you not find it more practical, if perhaps you all banded together to create businesses together? Or perhaps even, a new political party? To thus give you perhaps more of an orderly way to discuss your issues? Or any permutation of this line of thinking?

Do you not feel perhaps this might be more productive to your cause, rather than wanton destruction and chaos? Just a suggestion.

Written by Kashmir_Z
Art Generated by Krea.AI