Will the insurance company compensate for flood-damaged vehicles?
2 Answers
Flood-damaged vehicles will be compensated by the insurance company. Here is additional information on situations where compensation may be denied for flood-damaged vehicles: 1. Denial for secondary ignition: If the engine stalls during water wading and is damaged due to forced secondary ignition causing water ingress, the insurance company will not compensate. Therefore, if the vehicle stalls while driving through water, do not attempt to restart it. After an incident occurs, do not try to move or start the vehicle; report the claim as soon as possible, within no more than 48 hours. 2. Denial for intentional damage: If you knowingly attempt to drive through severe water accumulation, resulting in engine damage, the insurance company will not compensate.
Last time my car was flooded, it got water inside just a few days after being parked by the roadside, with water stains all over the interior. I immediately reported it to the insurance company, but when they came to assess the damage, they asked about the policy details. I only had basic vehicle damage insurance without additional water damage coverage, so they only covered the cost of seat cleaning and partial body repairs, leaving me to pay most of the engine repair expenses myself. From this experience, I learned that insurance payouts depend on your coverage: if the flood was caused by natural disasters, having water damage insurance would cover almost everything, otherwise only minor losses are covered. I recommend everyone check their policy details before the rainy season, especially those living in low-lying areas—consider adding more coverage to reduce unexpected expenses. After a flood, never start the car; towing it to a repair shop for inspection is more cost-effective.
