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Total loss: Everything you need to know

If your car has been in an accident or has been stolen and is declared, or is likely to be declared, a ‘total loss’ (aka a write-off), here’s how the process works so you know what to expect.

Salary Sacrifice customers

Before your car’s been confirmed as a total loss

1. Reporting & Tracking Your Claim

  • Report the Incident: Call the Driverline on 020 3322 2601 to report your accident to our incident management partners (FMG). FMG will send you an email explaining what happens next within 1 working day.

  • Courtesy cars:

    • If the accident wasn’t your fault: If the other driver has accepted responsibility, our partner, Auxilis, will usually get you a courtesy car. They’ll try to get you a like-for-like courtesy EV, but they’re not always available so you may get a smaller car, and potentially a petrol or diesel one.

    • If the accident is deemed to be your fault: FMG will organise a courtesy car when they book you in. If your car is undrivable, FMG will organise a hire car. This will be a petrol or diesel car, not an EV.

    • Track Online via FMG Connect: Within 12 working hours of logging your claim, they’ll email or text you a link to FMG Connect. Here you can see real-time updates, and contact the team with any questions.

2. Collecting and assessing your car

  • Booking a garage: FMG will provide booking confirmation of assessment garage within 1 working day of you submitting your claim.

  • Collection: If the car is in a safe location, the garage will collect it directly. If not, our recovery partner (the RAC) will take it to the garage for you.

  • Timeline: The assessment and full confirmation from the insurer can take up to 3 months, but we actively push to get this in under 4 weeks. Our Operations team regularly chases insurers for updates, so you don’t have to.

3. Checking in on you

  • Once total loss is confirmed, a Customer Operations Specialist will get in touch with you regarding next steps, but if you'd like to speak to us before then please call in to the DriverLine.

Once your car is confirmed as a ‘total loss’ and the insurer formally confirms in writing that your car is a total loss, we handle the rest:

  • We’ll call you: We will give you a support call to confirm the insurer's decision, answer any questions, and confirm how your lease wraps up.

  • We’ll replace your car : An EV Expert will contact you within 24 hours of total loss confirmation to help you order another salary sacrifice EV or set up an interim car if one’s available

  • We’ll sort out your billing: We’ll end your lease early, using the end date provided by the insurer. Don’t worry, you won’t pay any early termination fees and mileage or damage charges.

Intelligent EV customers

If you have a Personal Contract Hire (PCH) agreement with us - also known as Intelligent EV - you’ll manage your own insurance claim. Here’s how it works.

1. Details we need from you:

First, submit your claim to your insurer, then share with us the following details:

  • Claim reference number

  • Insurance excess amount

  • Written confirmation from your insurer that you car is a total loss

  • Exact date the car was Confirmed as a total loss

2. Email Your Insurer

To allow us to speak with your insurance company, please send an email to your insurer with [email protected] copied (CC’d) in.

Your email should include:

  1. Your claim reference number

  2. Clear consent stating: "I give consent for [Name of Insurer] to speak directly with Octopus Electric Vehicles about this claim."

  3. Ask them to send written confirmation of the total loss and the confirmed total loss date.

3. Assessment updates & timelines

  • You can check the progress of your repair or assessment with your insurers at any point; and they’ll keep us updated.

  • The full assessment process and formal confirmation of total loss from the insurer can take up to 3 months, but we actively push to get this in under 4 weeks. Our Operations team regularly chase insurers, so you don’t have to

4. Courtesy car

  • Getting a courtesy cars: You will need to contact your own insurers directly to arrange a courtesy car if it’s included in your cover.

  • Returning your courtesy car: Once your car’s confirmed as a total loss , any hire car provided by your insurer may need to be returned, and you’ll need to arrange your own transport.

  • Ordering a replacement: You can order a new car once yours is confirmed as a total loss. An EV Expert will reach out via phone or email to start the conversation, but feel free to explore our website in advance to see which cars catch your eye.

5. Billing & excess

  • Insurance excess: You’ll usually need to pay an insurance excess. Your insurer will confirm the exact amount you’ll need to pay the garage.

  • Monthly payments: We’ll continue to bill for your car until the total loss has been officially confirmed by your insurers. Your contract end date will match your billed-until date, which is the exact day the insurers confirm the total loss to us in writing.

6. Settlement & closing your contract

  • Payments: Your agreement officially ends on the date your car is confirmed as a total loss. We’ll refund any lease payments collected after this date.

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