Or not even any kind of loss at all, the complete opposite. "Total Loss" is the penultimate Don Taylor-directed 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episode, the penultimate one of seven. All of his seven outings are watchable and above, the weakest "Fatal Figures" (between that and "The Deadly") of the previous episodes still being decent if uneven. Though only "The Right Kind of House" was properly great in my view ("The Crocodile Case" came close) of his episodes.
"Total Loss" is a good penultimate episode for Taylor and is in the solid middle category ranking Season 4, a mostly solid one though with a few major bumps (i.e. "Don't Interrupt"). Of Taylor's episodes too, "Total Loss" is around the middle in ranking, not "The Right Kind of House" level but better than "The Deadly" and "Fatal Figures" (closest to "Listen Listen"). It is not much out of the ordinary story wise, but is compensated by the acting and the ending in particular. A lot is good here in "Total Loss", but it falls short of greatness.
It is a bit lacking when it comes to the suspense and the pacing could have been tighter early on, a little less talk would have solved that.
Did think too that the build up to the end was a little on the awkward side.
However, there is so much that is done incredibly well. Nancy Olson plays one of the season's most sympathetic lead characters very movingly and Ralph Meeker manages the balance of deceptive charm and cockiness very well without falling into the potential trap of being annoying. The two work very well together. Hitchcock's bookending is amusing and dry humoured and Taylor's direction is assured throughout.
Moreover, visually it is simple but doesn't look threadbare or cheap, did like the photography. The theme tune deserves its classic status. Most of the writing is thought provoking and intriguing and the story intrigues while easy to follow, the highlight being the nicely ironic ending.
Concluding, good if not great. 7/10.