Settlement FAQs

what is a settlement figure

by Olga Smitham Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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A settlement figure is the total amount of money that you owe to your creditors. This includes any interest and fees that have accrued on your debt. You may need to know the settlement figure if you're planning on selling or replacing your car before the end of your agreement.

Definition. The term 'settlement figure' refers to the amount of money you will have to pay to clear a loan in full. This is often used when you want to finish a finance agreement early. It can also be useful if you need to sell your vehicle or find a replacement, before the agreement has been completed.

Full Answer

What is a settlement figure on a car loan?

A settlement figure, when talking about car finance, is the amount of money you still owe on your loan or finance agreement, including interest. It might be important to know this figure if you need to sell or replace a car before your car finance agreement ends. Can I settle my car finance early? The short answer is, yes.

How do I obtain a settlement figure?

Obtaining a settlement figure means asking your lender how much is left to pay on your finance agreement. You might be thinking of changing your car, or you may have decided to pay off your finance balance early. Either way, you will need to contact your lender using the details on your finance documentation.

How are interest settlement figures calculated?

Settlement figures are calculated using the rules made under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Under the Consumer Credit Act if you settle your agreement early, you are entitled to a rebate of some of the interest charges. The formula used to calculate the rebate is called the ‘Actuarial method’.

How do insurance companies determine the starting point for settlement talks?

Most insurance companies and injury attorneys rely on one formula or another to get a starting point for settlement talks. This is true for a bodily injury claim in a car accident case, a slip and fall injury claim, or any other personal injury case.

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How do settlement figures work?

A settlement figure, when talking about car finance, is the amount of money you still owe on your loan or finance agreement, including interest. It might be important to know this figure if you need to sell or replace a car before your car finance agreement ends.

How do you calculate a settlement figure?

Once the settlement date has been decided, we calculate your settlement figure by taking the current capital element of the balance outstanding, adding the interest due up to the agreed settlement date, plus one month's additional interest (as outlined above).

How do I find out my settlement figure on my car?

Your lender can provide you with your settlement figure over the phone, via email (which can take 2-3 days) or by post (which could take 7 or so days). Your settlement figure is valid for 14 days from the date you request it.

Why is my settlement figure higher than my balance?

Your balance might be lower than your settlement figure because of a Direct Debit payment you've made. A Direct Debit could still go out after you get a settlement figure and before you pay off your loan. This will reduce the amount you owe and make your balance lower.

Does settlement figure include next payment?

For example, a settlement figure for a PCP deal will include your 'final' or 'balloon' payment – and may very well include some early redemption charges. As such, simply adding up your remaining monthly payments wouldn't even come close to being an accurate figure.

Is a settlement figure cheaper?

Paying the settlement figure to clear your finance is cheaper than continuing with your repayments. You want to own the car outright. When you finance a car through hire purchase or PCP, you won't own the car until you make all your payments, so paying it off early means you own it sooner.

What happens when you settle a car loan?

These payments are, however, applied to reduce your principal debt which in turn reduces the interest charged over the term of the agreement and will net off in your loan being settled in full prior to the expiry of the agreed contract term.

Will a car dealer settle my finance?

Will a car dealership settle my finance? Another short answer: yes. This is a popular process for people looking to upgrade or change their car before paying off the total outstanding finance.

How long does a car finance settlement take?

By law your lender has to post a settlement figure to you within 12 days – usually it will arrive straight away. You will have a period – usually 10 days – in which to actually pay the amount off.

Can debt settlement hurt your credit?

While settling an account won't damage your credit as much as not paying at all, a status of "settled" on your credit report is still considered negative. Settling a debt means you have negotiated with the lender and they have agreed to accept less than the full amount owed as final payment on the account.

Is it good to pay off a loan early?

You have a little extra money and you'd love to pay off your personal loan early. Doing so will save you on interest and put a few extra dollars to spend in your pocket each month. So, should you repay your personal loan ahead of schedule? Paying off debt is generally good for your finances—and good for your credit.

Does paying car off early hurt credit?

In the short-term, paying off your car loan early will impact your credit score — usually by dropping it a few points. Over the long-term, it depends on quite a few factors, including your credit mix and payment history.

What is the formula for personal injury settlements?

The formula goes like this: Damages = Economic damages x 1.5 (based on the injury severity) + lost income. For instance, assuming you fractured an arm in a motor collision and the medical expenses sum up to $10,000. Let's also assume that the injury made you miss 2 months of work which would have paid you $20,000.

What is a settlement calculator?

This tool can be used to help you in your decision of whether to settle a case on your own or to hire an attorney. Based on the numbers you provide, it will calculate the settlement amount you would have to achieve with an attorney compared to the settlement amount you are being offered or hope to achieve.

How do you calculate damages?

How to Calculate Damages. Calculating economic damages can be as easy as adding up all the expenses connected to the accident, such as income loss, medical bills, out-of-pocket costs, and others. Once you have a figure for economic damages, you can determine your non-economic losses, such as pain and anguish.

How is injury compensation calculated?

Your compensation will be calculated by adding together: General damages - awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA), and; Special damages - awarded for any financial losses or costs you have incurred.

What should settlement range be built around?

Your settlement range should be built around this particular valuation, with the lower end of the range representing the actual costs you've incurred as a result of the defendant's acts. Keep in mind that during settlement negotiations, you and the defendant most likely will meet somewhere in the middle.

Why is it important to talk to an attorney about settlements?

Due to the difficulty of proving these damages – as well as damages for pain and suffering in personal injury cases – it's important to talk to an attorney when you attempt to calculate these settlement amounts.

How to calculate medical damages?

To use the multiplier method to calculate your general damages, you must first total your past and estimated future medical expenses. This total will then be multiplied by a value ranging from 1.5 to 5.

Who has the burden of proof for any defenses they raise?

On the other hand, the defendant has the burden of proof for any defenses they raise. The same "preponderance of the evidence" standard typically applies.

Do lawsuits go to trial?

Most lawsuits never make it to trial, and some are settled before the complaint is even formally filed. To calculate settlement amounts, you must have a reliable total of expenses incurred as a result of the dispute. You also must have a detailed understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the case and the likelihood of success at trial.

Is civil litigation expensive?

Take court costs and legal fees into account. Civil litigation is expensive and time-consuming. These costs can make a lower settlement reached shortly after you file your complaint more valuable than a much higher award at trial.

Can you add a settlement to a settlement?

Although you can add them to your settlement calculations if you feel so inclined, you're unlikely to get the other party to agree to pay them, since the other party will know the odds they'll have to pay them after a trial are slim to none.

How can I obtain my settlement figure?

Obtaining a settlement figure means asking your lender how much is left to pay on your finance agreement.

What is the difference between a car's market value and settlement?

The difference between your car’s market value and the settlement figure can be used as a deposit towards a new car , or as cashback. When the value of your car is less than the settlement figure, the difference in values is known as negative equity. This often occurs where people change their car early into their finance agreement ...

How long is a settlement valid?

Your settlement figure is valid for 14 days from the date you request it. Once you have paid your remaining balance, the finance company will confirm in writing, and it is important that you keep this letter in a safe place.

Is Evolution Funding a lender?

Evolution Funding Limited, trading as My Car Credit, is a credit broker and not a lender.

How Is a Settlement Calculated for Workers Compensation?

The formula for calculating a workers compensation settlement package involves four major factors:

What is workers compensation settlement?

Workers Compensation Settlements. Workers compensation insurance provides a safety net for medical expenses and lost wages of those who get hurt on the job. But that doesn’t mean such workers have to accept whatever the insurance company offers. A workers compensation settlement is a way you can negotiate the immediate payment ...

How long does it take to settle a workers comp case?

Short answer: It varies greatly. The Martindale-Nolo survey of readers turned up an average of 15.7 months to resolve a case, and less than 20% of cases are resolved in less than six months. Obviously, those who try to negotiate a better workers comp settlement may hire legal assistance to negotiate the best terms for a settlement or to bring a hearing if there is a disputed issued. This can be time consuming. However, a shorter time frame is not always better. Those actions that lengthen the process can also bring higher settlements.

Why do you settle a lump sum claim?

If you settle the claim, you can choose or change your physicians. However, if you have severe and complicated work-related injuries, you may not want to settle the medical portion of the claim because you can be entitled to medical benefits for your accident for the rest of your life. Some injuries are too complicated to take the risk that you will not have enough money through a settlement to meet your medical needs.

How long does it take for a settlement to be approved?

Those actions that lengthen the process can also bring higher settlements. Once an agreement is reached, it can take four-to-eight weeks for money to arrive while settlement contracts are drafted, signed and approved.

How are the four factors determined?

The four factors are determined by a permanent impairment rating and added together to calculate the final total of the settlement. The adjuster for the insurance company and either the injured employee or employee and his attorney negotiate a settlement.

Do you have to agree to a workers comp settlement?

You don’t have to agree to a settlement offer proposed by your employer or its insurance company, nor do you have the ability to force the employer or insurer to settle your claim. Talk with an attorney for free today, and find out how much money you could receive in a workers comp settlement.

How to negotiate a settlement for a car accident?

The first step in negotiating a settlement for a car accident or personal injury claim is calculating a reasonable amount of money you would accept to give up your legal claim. Most insurance companies and injury attorneys rely on one formula or another to get a starting point for settlement talks. This is true for a bodily injury claim in ...

What happens when you add a multiplier to a special damages claim?

But once the multiplier is used to arrive at a general damages figure, adding that number to the special damages total will give the insurance adjuster (and you) a ballpark idea of the value of your claim, or at least a starting point for settlement negotiations.

How to put a dollar value on medical losses?

To get a dollar figure that might represent the value of the general damages, an insurance adjuster will add up all the "special" medical damages (remember those are your quantifiable losses) and multiply that total by a number between 1.5 and 5 (that's the multiplier).

What are the two types of damages in a personal injury claim?

After you enter your numbers and click "Calculate," the two dollar figures you see above the "Your Total Settlement Estimate" field represent the two main types of damages that arise in the majority of injury cases: economic losses (called "special" damages) and non-economic losses (called "general" damages). In any injury-related insurance claim, or even a personal injury lawsuit filed in civil court, the losses suffered by the person who has been injured can be placed into one of these two categories.

What is special damages?

Special damages are those losses that are easy to quantify. They include the costs of medical treatment, any lost income due to time missed at work, property damage caused by the accident, and other out-of-pocket losses.

Can you win a lawsuit if you are found to be at fault?

The following states have a very harsh rule on shared fault. You cannot win any damages if you are found to be even 1% at fault. If the evidence shows that your own carelessness contributed to your injuries, you cannot win an award in a lawsuit, so your estimated settlement value is nearly zero.

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