Repair Viability Shifts Prompt Price Surges and Brand Shifts
In recent assessments, certain cars that once could be restored after an accident are no longer worth the repair bill. The driving costs and delivery challenges for spare parts have climbed, turning some repair scenarios into losses rather than cost-savers for owners. This trend is reported by Rossiyskaya Gazeta, drawing on data supplied by insurance providers. The new reality has reshuffled the rankings of cars that buyers and insurers deem impractical to repair after damage.
The shift has reshaped the anti-rating landscape. For the first time, VAZ has dropped out of the leading positions, making room for foreign brands to take their place at the forefront of the list. This reflects evolving repair economics and changing consumer choices as insurers and owners weigh the expense of post-accident fixes against the value of the vehicle.
Leading the list is the Volkswagen Polo. In about four percent of accidents involving this model, repair is not economically viable, prompting a total loss determination. Meanwhile the Hyundai Solaris shows a rising share of total losses, increasing from a previous three and a third percent to about three point eight percent. These figures reflect early data for a recent half-year period and highlight how the balance between repair costs and vehicle value has tilted toward total loss in certain segments.
Looking back at the comparable period from the prior year, the Kia Rio still appeared as a dominant model in the same category, accounting for roughly four point three percent of cases where repairs did not make financial sense. Yet that figure has since eased, dropping to around two point seven percent in the recent period. The trend underscores how market dynamics, including part prices, supply chains, and insurer policies, can markedly alter the calculus about whether a damaged vehicle should be repaired or deemed a total loss.
Analysts note that the average payout for total losses in the first half of the recent year approached one point six million rubles, with the maximum payouts climbing past fifteen million rubles in individual cases. This scale illustrates why insurers scrutinize every repair decision: the goal is to balance the cost of restoring a vehicle against the vehicle’s post-accident value and the broader financial risk to policyholders. These insights come from Rossiyskaya Gazeta, compiled from data provided by insurance companies, and reflect the practical realities of vehicle repair economics in today’s market.
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