Does Car Damage Insurance Cover Flooded Vehicles?
2 Answers
Flooded vehicles are eligible for compensation, but under water submersion circumstances, car damage insurance only covers vehicle damage excluding the engine. Engine damage caused by flooding can only be compensated by additional wading insurance. Below is an introduction to auto insurance: 1. Overview: Motor vehicle insurance refers to commercial insurance that covers liability for personal injury or property damage caused by natural disasters or accidents involving motor vehicles. 2. Policyholders: Primarily corporate entities and individuals possessing various motorized transportation tools. Insured subjects mainly include various types of automobiles, but also extend to specialized vehicles like electric cars, battery-powered vehicles, and motorcycles. 3. Principle: The fundamental function of insurance is to organize economic compensation and facilitate insurance payouts, which also represents the core function of motor vehicle insurance. Through motor vehicle insurance, the diverse risks and consequential losses faced by enterprises, families, and individuals owning motor vehicles can be dispersed and transferred across society, embodying the social principle of 'pooling risks and spreading losses.'
My car was flooded by heavy rain last summer, with the water level exceeding half of the tires. I immediately contacted the insurance company's surveyor, only to find out that whether the claim would be covered depended on the policy details: if you only purchased standard vehicle damage insurance, engine damage from water submersion is not covered—you must specifically buy water submersion insurance for that protection. At the time, the electrical circuits in my car were ruined by the water, and this part was covered by the standard vehicle damage insurance. However, when the repair shop disassembled the engine, they found water in the cylinder block. Fortunately, I had added water submersion insurance, so I didn’t suffer a major loss. Under the new claims regulations, for policies purchased after September 2020, vehicle damage insurance automatically includes water submersion coverage. But remember, damage caused by attempting to restart the engine (secondary ignition) is still not covered. A reminder to everyone: if your vehicle is flooded, never attempt to start it. First, take photos for evidence, then call for a tow truck.
