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Car Flood Damage Insurance Claim – You want to protect your new (or new to you) car from all kinds of damage it might sustain. But how much damage can a flood do to your car? And will car flood insurance cover such damage?
Floods are the most common type of natural disaster in the United States, according to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). All 50 U.S. states saw floods in the last five years.
Car Flood Damage Insurance Claim
Unfortunately, just a few inches of water from a flood can cause extensive damage to your car, costing you a lot of money.
What To Do If Your Vehicle Has Flood Damage
According to Cover, flood insurance claims between 2005 to 2014 added $3.5 billion per year on average. That’s a lot of reason to make sure you’re financially protected if your car sustains damage from a flood.
Flood damage can include cosmetic damage, such as foggy lighting, interior mold, and rust or corrosion. It can also cause more mechanical and electrical damage, such as:
Even minor or cosmetic damage can affect the value or performance of your vehicle. Certain types of damage can cause safety issues.
Fortunately, car insurance covers flood damage under certain circumstances. Specifically, you should choose to include comprehensive coverage in your policy. This is the only way to ensure that your insurance company will pay you for damage or a total loss due to flood damage.
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It is especially important to choose comprehensive coverage if you live in an area with a high risk of flooding.
Comprehensive coverage is not an automatic feature of most auto insurance policies – you have to choose to have it. It is also not part of the minimum coverage options required by the state. Comprehensive coverage protects you from a variety of situations, from flood damage to theft.
Basically, comprehensive coverage means your car is covered for anything other than damage from an accident. If you are self-financing your car, you may need to carry comprehensive coverage as well as collision coverage, since the car acts as your collateral.
Flood damage can happen to your car more easily than you think. Even if the water does not rise much, during heavy rains water can enter your car by not fully closing the sunroofs, windows, and doors, even if everything is closed.
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According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), it is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that the vehicle remains in good condition. This means that if your vehicle sustains damage during a flood, comprehensive coverage will likely help you cover any damage to your vehicle. However, if it deteriorates due to slow leaks over time due to poor maintenance, you probably won’t be covered.
Comprehensive coverage also excludes damage to non-permanently installed equipment in your vehicle, according to the Insurance Information Institute. That could include removable navigation systems or sound equipment, for example.
Home insurance does not cover damage to your car, even if it suffers damage while you are at home. Homeowner’s insurance will require you to file a claim with your auto insurance.
If you’re hesitant to file a claim because it could raise your rates, know that a comprehensive claim raises rates by an average of $39 per year or 3 percent. The average comprehensive rate is $189 per year (above the $523 per year average for collision coverage), according to Insure.com’s analysis of rates. The total cost of your auto insurance coverage is based on several factors, including your age, credit score, and driving record.
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However, if the damage is minor, it may be a good idea to have it checked by a mechanic before filing a comprehensive claim. Your insurance benefits only begin when you meet your deductible. You only need to file a claim, therefore, if the cost of the repair is greater than your insurance deductible. If you know the damage is extensive, you can file a claim before getting a repair estimate.
If your car has been damaged in a flood, you need to find out if the car is broken into. Your insurance company has a general threshold beyond which it will no longer pay for repairs.
Your car can suffer varying amounts of damage, from cosmetic issues to more serious mechanical or electrical problems, depending on how much water gets into your car and which part it gets into.
Your mechanic will need to “open up” your vehicle to determine how much damage has occurred, including whether it is totaled.
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Also get your mechanic’s opinion. If he says your car is totaled but the insurance company thinks it needs to be repaired, go back to your insurers and talk to them about the assessment.
Even if your claim is paid, the insurance company may reopen if your mechanic discovers more damage during the repair.
As with other types of damage, your insurance company will only pay you the actual cash value of the car. Gap coverage (optional insurance that you can add to your policy), if you have it, can cover the difference between your loan and what the car is worth.
If your vehicle is totaled, try to negotiate its value with your insurance company. The better the condition of your car before the damage, the better the settlement amount you will get. If you have evidence of your car’s condition before the flood, such as recent photos, provide that to your insurance company as part of your negotiation about the car’s value.
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Water can surprisingly damage a car. Comprehensive insurance coverage can help ensure you are covered in the event of a flood.
The information and research in this article has been verified by ASE-certified Master Technician Duane Sayaloune of YourMechanic.com. For any feedback or correction requests please contact us at research@.
Hearst Autos Research, conducted independently by the Editorial staff of Car and Driver, provides articles about cars and the auto industry to help readers make informed purchasing choices.
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St. PETERSBURG, Fla – Several vehicles were affected by high water brought by Hurricane Ian as a Category 4 storm.
Florida was one of the states with the most flood-damaged vehicles on the road in 2019, according to a WESH report. At the time, Carfax estimated that 34,000 water-damaged vehicles would be sold in Florida.
Does Car Insurance Cover Flood Water Damage?
Despite suffering damage that can affect the car’s performance and overall longevity, there are laws that regulate the sale of these cars.
In 2014, a spokesperson for the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles told the Pensacola News Journal that Florida laws require water-damaged vehicle titles to show in a visible place that such vehicles have suffered in the flood.
The Pensacola News Journal reports that Florida Statute 319.14(1)(b) states that “a person may not knowingly offer for sale, trade, or exchange a rebuilt vehicle” after flooding until it is inspected and declared a “flood vehicle” by the state Department of Highway and Motor Vehicle Safety.
Under state law, a “flood vehicle” means one that is considered a total loss. Florida law also requires that any vehicle that is rebuilt using parts from another that has been flooded must have that fact recorded on the title.
Take Action If Vehicle Has Flood Damage
A Carfax representative told WESH that the issue with water-damaged vehicles is that, basically, they rot from the inside out. Water can affect a vehicle’s mechanical, electrical, and safety systems, as well as cause bacteria and mold to be inhaled by a driver or passengers.
According to Consumer Reports, a car that has been swept away by hurricane damage is almost always totaled, and a person’s compensation will depend on their car insurance.
Loretta Worters, vice president of the Insurance Information Institute, told Consumer Reports that flood insurance is covered under the comprehensive portion of a car insurance policy.
1. Contact your insurance or agent that you hold your policy with. Consumer Reports says that in many cases, insurers may have disaster response stations or may place them in areas where damage may occur.
Kentucky Flood Damage And Insurance Information
2. Document the damage to your property by taking pictures and videos as soon as possible, if you can do so safely. Then, be sure to give it to your insurance agent, Consumer Reports says.
3. Finally, Consumer Reports says that owners should get a claim number with the adjuster’s name and phone number. It says to ask for a payment estimate, when you can expect to be contacted, and if you need a rental car payment.
Finally, Consumer Reports warns that during major flooding, you could be one of thousands of car owners.
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