How to Use a Car IDV Calculator to Estimate Your Vehicle’s Value?

A car IDV calculator is a handy online calculator that helps you get an estimate of your car’s current market value without any awkward phone calls to dealerships. The best part? You can check it yourself in less than a few minutes. No spreadsheets, no fine print and no sales pitches. This article will be your guide to show you how to use a car IDV calculator and why it is important for you.  

What does IDV mean? 

IDV stands for Insured Declared Value. This is the highest amount that your insurance provider will repay you in case your insured vehicle suffers total damage beyond repair or gets stolen. To be more precise, IDV refers to the current value of your insured car as per the insurance provider.  

Now, if you are wondering why this amount is important for you, this number is one of the most important things that sets your insurance premium amount. A higher insured declared value means better coverage, but also means a higher premium amount. On the other side of the scale, a lower insured declared value might reduce your premium amount, but might leave you underinsured when you need it the most.  

So, yes – this number is important.  

How to Use a Car IDV Calculator? 

Using a car IDV calculator is surprisingly simple. Here’s a quick step-by-step on how you can do it: 

1. Head over to a trusted car insurance website or an insurance aggregator platform. Most of them offer a free car IDV calculator that’s easy to spot.  
2. Enter your car’s details. Typically, you’ll need to fill in the make, model, fuel type, variant, year of purchase, and registration city. It’s the basic stuff you probably know off the top of your head, like the make, model, variant, city of registration, etc.  
3. Hit that calculate button, and you will see an estimated Insured Declared Value for your car. The tool automatically accounts for depreciation based on your car’s age, giving you a clear, realistic market value you can use for insurance planning. 

Why Car IDV Calculators are Important? 

If you are unsure about whether you need to check your car’s IDV, here is a list of reasons why it is important: 

1. The calculator is fast, free and easy to use. It allows you to get an estimate of your car’s current value without having to guess and negotiate with mechanics and dealers. 
2. The calculator helps you compare IDVs from different insurers. By checking calculators provided by different insurers and aggregators, you can ensure you don’t settle for an unfairly low IDV set by your insurance provider. 
3. The calculators allow you to adjust your IDV to balance your insurance premium and coverage. This makes sure you are not left stranded when your vehicle gets stolen. 

Things to Keep in Mind 

Here is a list of pointers that you need to keep in mind when using online car IDV calculators: 

1. The IDV of your car changes each year due to depreciation. You need to check it every time you renew your car insurance policy. 
2. Do not undervalue your car just to get a lower insurance premium amount. It can backfire and leave you underinsured in emergencies. 
3. A higher IDV means better claim value if your insured vehicle gets stolen or damaged beyond repair.  
4. Different insurance providers might suggest different IDVs. It is advisable to compare different insurers before locking one in.