Does Insurance Cover Water-Damaged Vehicles?
2 Answers
If the vehicle owner has purchased the main insurance of vehicle damage insurance with additional coverage for water damage, the insurance company will compensate for losses caused by water immersion, including engine damage. Below are the relevant details: 1. Vehicle Damage Insurance: This refers to a type of commercial auto insurance where the insurance company compensates within reasonable limits for damage to the insured vehicle caused by accidents while being driven by the policyholder or an authorized driver. 2. Compensation Scenarios: The insurer is responsible for compensating for losses to the insured vehicle caused by the following reasons while being used by the policyholder or an authorized driver: collision, overturning, falling; fire, explosion, spontaneous combustion (requires separate spontaneous combustion coverage); falling or collapsing external objects; storms, tornadoes; lightning, hail, heavy rain, floods, tsunamis; ground collapse, ice collapse, cliff collapse, avalanches, mudslides, landslides; ferries carrying the insured vehicle suffering from natural disasters (limited to cases where the driver is accompanying the vehicle).
Last summer, I encountered a heavy rainstorm while driving, and my car was half-submerged in water. The insurance eventually covered the repair costs, but it depends on the type of coverage you have. My comprehensive auto insurance explicitly covers losses caused by natural disasters, such as floods and heavy rains. After the waterlogging, I immediately took photos for evidence and promptly contacted the insurance company to file a claim. They sent someone to assess the damage. If you only have compulsory traffic insurance or basic third-party liability insurance, you might not get compensation, especially if the engine gets flooded—without additional water damage coverage, it could be a big problem. Also, make sure to keep weather reports or disaster certificates to prove it was an act of God, which makes it easier for the insurance to acknowledge the claim. Remember not to start the car after waterlogging to prevent engine damage. Personally, I make it a habit to review my policy every year to ensure my coverage aligns with seasonal risks.
