How Does Insurance Cover a Flooded and Totaled Car?
3 Answers
With comprehensive car insurance, full compensation is provided. With comprehensive car insurance + water damage insurance, full compensation is provided. With comprehensive car insurance but no water damage insurance, the engine is not covered. Restarting the engine after stalling is not covered by insurance.
I've been through the insurance claim process when a car was totaled by flooding. First, you must report the incident immediately by calling your insurance company and refrain from moving the vehicle. An adjuster will be dispatched to take photos and assess the damage. Typically, if water reaches above the roof or damage exceeds 80%, it's declared a total loss. Compensation is based on your car's current market value—for example, if it was bought new for ¥200,000 but depreciated to ¥100,000, you'll receive that amount minus the deductible (e.g., a few thousand yuan). Remember to bring the vehicle license and insurance policy to the counter for processing. The insurer may handle the salvage value of the totaled car afterward, but you'll need to sign a release form. The entire process can take as little as a week or up to three weeks. Without comprehensive coverage, only partial compensation applies, so maintaining complete maintenance records helps negotiate better claims.
As someone who recently bought a car, I was quite worried about the compensation when my car was flooded and totaled. The key is to immediately contact the insurance company and take photos of the waterlogged car as evidence. They will check the policy, such as whether the natural disaster coverage includes floods, before offering full compensation. The compensation amount is the actual market value of your car minus some deductible, but new cars get higher payouts, while older cars with low value might result in a loss. Avoid driving a flooded car yourself to prevent further damage. After receiving the compensation, you can add some money to buy a new car. When purchasing car insurance next time, consider adding flood coverage for more peace of mind, especially in areas with frequent rainy seasons, as such incidents are common and can affect travel convenience.
