Enhanced Gross vehicle weight-GVW or Registered vehicle weight-RLW for Goods vehicle.
We wish to submit the following for your understanding about the changes made some time back in MV Act in regard with Registered laden wt.-RLW/Gross vehicle wt. GVW. Before going to the subject, We need to understand few terminologies used in MV Dept in RC & Permit.
GVW © – Gross Vehicle Weight as recommended by Company i.e., Manufacturer.
GVW (R) – Gross Vehicle Weight as approved by MV Department
GVW -Gross Vehicle Weight as -This will be divided and given for each axle. This axle weight will not be uniform and also depends on the location of the axle and number of the tyres fitted on the particular axle in one side.
RLW – Registered laden weight
ULW – Unladen weight
PLW – Permitted laden weight to carry the load. (RLW – ULW = PLW)
On 16.07.2018 and amended notification dated 06.08.2019 the ministry of Road transport and Highways of India had revised the maximum safe axle weight for the existing vehicles and also for new vehicles which are coming for registrations.
The Road tax for good vehicles is based on the RLW. They customer need to pay additional road tax to Government. Hence, it is upto the owner who decides to increase the RLW, they can approach the RTO and get endorsed in RC and also in permit and then they can carry higher load as specified. This increase is not automatic. The person who desires to change for higher capacity they can increase or leave and it is not compulsion. Many vehicle owners where they can carry more load they had approached and did the endorsement in RC and Permit. But, certain vehicles for examples Petroleum Tankers / LPG Tankers. They cannot carry additional load by merely increasing the RLW. They need to alter the Tank capacity also and it is tedious / herculean task. They need to get permission from explosive department to carry out any modification / repair. There will be additional expenses for altering the load body. Therefore, they may not like to change the RLW, because it may not be worth.
After making entry in RC the Insured must approach the Insurer and do the entry also in Insurance. Insurance also based on the weight. Hence once it is informed to Insurer with proof for the additional carrying capacity, they need to pay the difference premium to Insurer.
Many of the Insured not aware the facts and even after changing in RC and Permit they used to operate the vehicles without intimating to Insurer. When claim comes, they will get affected. Because the Insured have not told the truth and it is called suppression of facts (non-disclosure of material fact). Certain time they need to pay Rs 50,000/- as penalty when claim comes. Even at the time of the renewal majority of the time the Insurer is renewing the policy as per the RLW which was in the expiring policy.
It is preferable the Insurer can send a notice to all the policy holder of Goods vehicle. If there is change in the registered laden wt.-RLW / gross vehicle weight – GVW, they need to inform the Insurer and also to pay the additional premium. This way Insurer are helping the Insured to get his claim without any penalty. More over the Insurer also get sizeable premium since the number of accidents in goods vehicle is only 3 % to 4 %. The Insurer and Insured both will be at a win-win situation.
Over loading-Impact over insurance claim
J.D.Batta-Surveyor & Loss Assessor
Admin-Claim Hub,
Chandigarh