“Pre-loss condition” is a term used by insurance companies to describe the condition of a residence or vehicle prior to damage. It is the act of restoring the vehicle or residence to the condition it was before the damage was caused.
Insurance companies are bound by their contract with their policyholder to return the vehicle to “pre-loss condition.” They are responsible for restoring the car to pre-loss condition, not rebuilding it to brand-new condition. Therefore, on older vehicles, they request a good used part or an aftermarket part in the rebuilding process. To expect more from them would be unreasonable.
Pre-loss condition is supposed to mean, “after an accident, your automobile will be repaired as close as possible to the condition your vehicle was in the instant prior to an accident.”
The collision repair industry has used these terms as a selling point for years, and the insurance industry utilizes the phrase “make the consumer whole again” or the word “indemnify.”
