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24*7 Claims
Support
Click here for new car
I agree to the Terms & Conditions
With increasing flash floods every year, insuring your car with a car insurance policy is a must. Insurance acts like a safety shield against any damage caused by natural calamities, particularly floods. There are a variety of coverages for your car to save you money during such unforeseen events.
However, knowing whether your car insurance covers flood damage can help you access the insurance more promptly. This article guides you in accessing fully comprehensive flood damage car insurance. This will cover all your losses from floods to all other calamities.
The flood can cause severe damage to your vehicles. The engine parts and gearbox may spoil in waterlogging conditions, as the flood water carries debris and other contaminants. The flood water can also cause an electric short circuit in your vehicle. It may lead to a total shutdown of the electrical components in your car.
Even after draining the water, the moisture in the car may lead to mould growth, which can pose health risks for the passengers. The humidity also leads to rusting the car's components, including doors, upholstery, and engines. This can damage the vehicle's appearance, cause engine failure, cause oil leakage issues, and cause hydrostatic lock or starvation of lubricants.
Insurance coverage acts as a safety shield against natural disasters and covers most losses during disasters. Here's a breakdown of the importance of insurance coverage and how it saves your money during natural disasters:
In distress situations like floods or any other natural disasters, the insurance comes as economic aid to cover most of your losses incurred. Therefore, it helps individuals and businesses reduce financial troubles.
The immediate financial aid provided by insurance helps restart the stalled business and individual work without any time, reducing the economic strains due to the inactivities.
Knowing you are insured against losses can make you stress-free, giving you peace of mind and a peaceful driving experience. Reducing your financial worries can also help you improve your productivity.
As your risks are shared among the insurance companies, you won't be left alone in grave situations like natural disasters. This helps diversify your risks and reduces your economic burdens.
The insurance coverage for flood damage depends on the type of policy you opted for during the policy purchase. In the case of the third-party car insurance policy, the flood-related damages are not covered, as it only covers the damage caused by the third party. The comprehensive insurance policy covers almost all the damages caused by natural disasters.
Despite that, the damage caused to the engine may not be covered even by the most fully comprehensive insurance policies, so check the terms thoroughly when choosing an insurance policy. In such a case, one can opt for add-ons for enhanced coverage for the engine and for the other parts not covered by insurance.
Comprehensive car insurance policies cover the car from damages caused by natural calamities and other unforeseen events. Below are different types of damages which are covered by the comprehensive insurance policy:
Understanding the exclusions in policies helps you make informed decisions and avoid issues during claims. Following are the lists which are not covered by the comprehensive insurance policies:
The insurance covers different types of damages caused by the flood. Here is a table representing the damage category and its coverage:
Here are the different common claim scenarios in which the insurance can be claimed for the flood-damaged vehicles:
If the total repair cost exceeds the car's insured value, the insurers declare such claims as the total loss. This is so because there won't be any insured amount left with the insurer.
Claims made for repairable damages, such as parts like the engine, interior, or electrical systems. These are minor and partial as they cause partial damage to the vehicles.
If the vehicle becomes inoperable due to the ingression of flood water in the car. The towing claim can be made to cover the cost of taking the vehicle to the garage.
Coverage for immediate repairs to prevent further damage after a flood. This acts as first aid to repair the damages that need immediate attention and prevent complications.
Here are specific add-ons you can opt for while you are purchasing the insurance policy to enhance your coverage for the damage:
Insurance is claimed systematically. By following the steps given below, you can claim insurance for flood-damaged cars:
The initial step in initiating the claiming process is to contact the insurance company where you purchased the policy.
Convey the insurance company as much information as possible. You can even mail them, if necessary, with proofs like photographs.
Once the insurer has provided all the necessary proofs and documents, the insurance company will issue a Claim Registration Number.
The insurer will notify you within a specific time when your car is picked up from your home and towed to the nearest garage.
The insurer will send the surveyor to assess the damage caused. He also calculates the amount to be paid to you after considering the wear and tear of the parts.
Once both parties have addressed claim issues, the claim approval sheet should be signed. Get a copy for future reference.
Thoroughly check the car for the quality of the repair done. Once you are satisfied, pay the remaining amount apart from the insurer.
Submitting the appropriate documents is necessary to ensure that the claim process is smooth and speedy. Here are the documents required for claim submission:
Ensuring faster approval of the claim process leads to faster claim sanctioning and a smooth repair process. Here are a few tips to follow to get the claim approval faster:
Safeguarding your car during the flood with proper measures and precautions can reduce the damage caused by flood and associated losses. Here are some tips that can help you protect your vehicles during floods:
Always try to park in an elevated area. This helps protect your car from flood water, reducing the damage caused by the flood to the vehicle.
A waterproof cover stops water from moving into the typical electrical component, preventing a short circuit in the car. This helps prevent out-of-pocket expenditures.
Stay updated about the weather pattern in your region. If you find the flood inevitable, disconnect the battery from the car. This prevents short circuits in the vehicle.
Do not try to drive your vehicle in the flooded area. If you feel that the region is flooded, try to park your car in an elevated location. Driving in flooded areas leads to the ingress of water into the vehicle.
Close the window, door, and seals as tightly as possible. This helps prevent water from ingressing into the vehicle, protecting the upholstery and reducing damage.
Monitoring and ensuring the car's components, such as the engine, doors, and windows, before the flood season enables the reduction of loss or damage to such parts.
You must always try to avoid driving your vehicle in the submerged areas. However, in specific unavoidable situations, you can follow several tips to reduce the damage to your car, such as:
Avoid driving through flooded streets. Shallow waters can cause a loss of control and cause damage to the engine.
While driving through water, keep a steady speed without jerking to accelerate or decelerate. This helps prevent water from ingressing into the car.
Maintain a proper distance from other cars. It reduces the chance of debris hitting your vehicle, and the damage is also reduced.
Check the water level on other vehicles to determine the water depth; do not attempt to cross waters beyond your car's clearance.
If you cross over floodwaters, ease off the brakes a little to dry them. Driving without drying leads to loose break conditions.
The cost implications of flood damage are relatively higher. However, this depends upon the seriousness of the damage. Some of the most important implications are given below:
Insurance companies analyse the premium based on your previous claims. The effect of claims on insurance premiums is as follows:
Add-ons in car insurance significantly help reduce the expenses of repairing or replacing car parts. Key roles of add-ons in reducing repair expenses include:
In conclusion, car insurance ensures timely financial support to cover your car against flood and other damage. However, choosing the proper and ideal insurance coverage can be daunting. Comprehensive insurance coverage covers almost all damage to your car. However, its premiums will be costlier to bear.Â
Contrary to this, third-party insurance is less expensive. However, it covers fewer components. Hence, a proper selection of insurance and an appropriate understanding of your policy will have to be made to ensure an effective claim.