What Insurance Should You Buy After Your Car Is Flooded?
3 Answers
After your car is flooded, you should purchase vehicle damage insurance. Here are the key points to note: 1. If the vehicle is parked and gets flooded: Full compensation is available as long as you have vehicle damage insurance. 2. If the vehicle is flooded while driving: For car insurance policies purchased after September 19, 2020, water damage coverage is already included, so no separate purchase is needed. For policies purchased before that date, the owner needs to confirm whether water damage coverage was purchased; otherwise, insurance claims cannot be processed. 3. If the vehicle stalls due to flooding and is restarted, no compensation will be provided: If the car stalls while driving due to flooding, leave the vehicle immediately and do not restart the engine, as this can cause engine damage. If the car is flooded while parked, contact the insurance company’s claim hotline promptly. Do not attempt to start the vehicle before the insurance adjuster arrives. The insurance company will arrange to tow the car to a repair shop based on the situation. 4. No compensation without vehicle damage insurance: If the vehicle does not have vehicle damage insurance, the insurance company will not provide compensation, and the owner will have to pay for repairs out of pocket after the car is flooded.
My car was flooded last year, and I was in a panic at the time. Right after the flooding, I reported it to the insurance company. Fortunately, my auto damage insurance covered natural disaster losses, and they sent someone to assess the damage and covered the repair costs—otherwise, I would have had to pay tens of thousands out of pocket. After this incident, I realized how crucial water ingress insurance is: it specifically covers engine damage from water, which standard auto damage insurance might not. So now, I’ve added water ingress coverage as an add-on, costing just a little over a hundred yuan for extra peace of mind. If you’re a new driver, never try to start a flooded car to avoid making things worse—just tow it to a professional repair shop. For residents in flood-prone areas, it’s essential to get comprehensive or additional coverage in advance. Overall, investing in insurance can save you major headaches, and it also reminds me to regularly review my policy details.
After a car is flooded, purchasing insurance is a remedial approach, but first address the existing damage: check if your policy includes flood coverage, and if so, file a claim promptly; if not, you’ll have to pay for repairs out of pocket. To prevent future incidents, consider adding water damage insurance to cover engine damage, as engine flooding can lead to costly repairs not fully covered by standard policies. In the long run, investing in comprehensive insurance offers greater peace of mind, especially in areas prone to heavy rainfall—while premiums may be higher, they’re more economical than sudden repair costs. Also, remember to thoroughly dry and rust-proof the car post-flooding to prevent electrical corrosion. This experience taught me to compare insurance options carefully, choosing the best value to minimize losses in future disasters.
