Can I Claim Insurance for a Flood-Damaged Vehicle?
2 Answers
You can claim insurance for a flood-damaged vehicle. Here are three key points to note when purchasing insurance: Avoid duplicate insurance coverage—even if you purchase the same type of insurance multiple times, you will not receive excess compensation for claims. Avoid over-insurance or under-insurance—neither provides effective protection. According to Article 39 of the Insurance Law, the insured amount must not exceed the insured value; any excess portion is invalid. If the insured amount is lower than the insured value, unless otherwise stipulated in the contract, the insurer will compensate proportionally based on the ratio of the insured amount to the insured value. Carefully review the insurance documents—ensure the third copy is printed on white carbonless paper with a light brown anti-counterfeiting background, and check whether the top-left corner bears the wording "Supervised by the China Insurance Regulatory Commission" and the top-right corner indicates "For sale in [province/city/autonomous region] only."
I just bought a car last year, and after a heavy rain, the garage flooded and the car was submerged. I was so worried at the time. A friend reminded me to check the insurance policy. If I had purchased vehicle damage insurance, it would generally cover the claim, but the water level had to reach halfway up the wheels to qualify. I needed to take photos as evidence and report it to the insurance company. Don’t rush to start the engine, as it could cause further damage. It’s best to call a tow truck to take it to a repair shop. The claims process is a bit troublesome—the insurance company will send an adjuster to inspect the vehicle’s condition. If it’s due to a flood disaster, it might be fully covered, but if I drove into a ditch myself, it might not be reimbursed. The repair costs could run into thousands or even tens of thousands, so not having insurance would be a huge loss. Preventive measures are simple: avoid parking in low-lying areas and renew the insurance regularly to save hassle.
