Will the insurance cover the damage if the car is flooded?
3 Answers
Generally, there are two scenarios when a vehicle is flooded: one is when it is parked, and the other is when it is being driven. If a parked car is flooded, the insurance company considers this as a "natural disaster" and covers the damage under the vehicle damage insurance. However, this requires two conditions: first, the coverage limit of the vehicle damage insurance must be sufficient, and second, the owner must not forcibly restart the engine. Below is relevant information: 1. Do not start the engine: If the engine is restarted after the car is flooded, it can easily cause water to enter the engine cylinders, leading to damage to the crankshaft connecting rod mechanism. Such an engine would require major repairs, so never restart the engine after the car is flooded. 2. Water ingress insurance: Water ingress insurance is actually a supplementary coverage to vehicle damage insurance, also known as engine special loss insurance. Vehicle damage insurance only covers damages to parts other than the engine after water ingress. Only by purchasing water ingress insurance can the engine damage be separately covered, but the prerequisite for claiming compensation is still not to restart the engine a second time.
Whether insurance covers the damage mainly depends on whether you have purchased comprehensive insurance or water ingress insurance. If you have comprehensive insurance, it generally covers flood damage to your vehicle, such as when a parking lot is submerged due to typhoon rains. The insurance company will send someone to inspect the damage and compensate for repair costs. However, if you drive into a water-filled pit and cause the flooding yourself, then it depends on whether you have specifically purchased water ingress insurance. Otherwise, the insurance may only cover part of the damage or not at all. Some policies also have restrictions on the definition of natural disasters, so I recommend carefully reading the terms when purchasing insurance, especially paying attention to additional coverage options. Call the insurance company's customer service to confirm the coverage scope to avoid wasting money in case of an accident. Additionally, friends living in flood-prone areas should consider adding water ingress insurance—it's inexpensive but effective.
I remember last summer during heavy rain, my car was parked by the roadside and got flooded. I was really worried at the time, but immediately contacted the insurance company. They towed the car to a repair shop, and the inspection showed engine damage from water ingress. Fortunately, I had comprehensive coverage, so they fully covered the repair costs, which were nearly 20,000 yuan. Since then, I've been more careful. If your car gets flooded, don't panic and try to handle it yourself—take photos as evidence right away, then call to report the claim. The claims process wasn't as troublesome as I imagined; they sent an assessor who checked the water damage and finalized the claim. A friend had a similar experience—he drove through a flooded road without water damage coverage and ended up bearing tens of thousands in costs himself. The lesson is: acting promptly saves both hassle and money.
