Worked Solution
✓ VerifiedStep 1: Determine Proper Insurable Cost Price
The item was sold for ₹30,000 with a gross profit of 25% on sales. This establishes the normal cost structure:
- GP amount = 25% × ₹30,000 = ₹7,500
- Proper COGS = ₹30,000 - ₹7,500 = ₹22,500
Although originally purchased for ₹20,000, the ₹22,500 represents the proper insurable value based on normal selling price and established profit margin for this item.
Step 2: Ascertain Loss from Write-off
At valuation on 31st March 2020, a write-off of ₹7,000 was recorded against this item:
- Insurable value (proper cost) = ₹22,500
- Write-off (damage/loss) = ₹7,000
- Current valuation = ₹22,500 - ₹7,000 = ₹15,500
- Loss suffered = ₹22,500 - ₹15,500 = ₹7,000
Step 3: Determine Claim Amount
Insurance claim = Lower of (Loss suffered, Insurance cover)
- Loss = ₹7,000
- Insurance cover = ₹30,000
- Claim = ₹7,000
The claim is limited to the actual loss of ₹7,000, which is well within the insurance cover of ₹30,000.
Write it like this
1The skeleton
- Start by reverse-engineering the proper cost price — write 'GP = 25% on sales = ₹7,500; Proper Cost = ₹30,000 − ₹7,500 = ₹22,500' as your very first line, because the examiner is checking whether you know to ignore the ₹20,000 purchase price entirely.
- Label this line clearly as 'Proper/Insurable Cost Price' — don't call it 'adjusted cost' or 'revised cost'; the ICAI phrasing is 'proper cost', and using the right label signals you know the concept.
- State the loss in one clean line — 'Loss suffered = Write-off = ₹7,000' (no long explanation needed; the write-off IS the loss here, and a separate sub-step showing ₹22,500 − ₹15,500 = ₹7,000 confirms it and earns the presentation mark).
- Apply the lower-of rule explicitly — write 'Claim = Lower of Loss (₹7,000) and Policy Amount (₹30,000) = ₹7,000'; examiners deduct marks when you jump to the answer without showing this comparison, even if the number is obvious.
- Box or underline your final claim figure — it takes 2 seconds and ensures the examiner's eye lands on ₹7,000 instantly during a 30-second scan of your answer.
2Examiner-rewarded phrases
3Common trap
Most students plug in the original purchase price of ₹20,000 directly and never work backward from the selling price — this kills your Step 1 entirely and cascades wrong. The ₹20,000 is a red herring; the question gives you GP% on sales specifically so you reverse-engineer the proper cost.