Your car may flood for a number of reasons, for example during a heavy rain or hurricane, a river or lake overflow, or a drainage system receding. When this happens, you probably want to make a claim for damages. Does car insurance cover water damage?
Basic car insurance plans, such as collision and liability, only cover events where the car hit another car or inanimate object. The second driver is liable only in case of fault, while the collision applies to both drivers. For the most part, this type of protection is not covered by flood insurance, so if your car suffers damage, you will not be covered by these basic insurance plans.
Protect your vehicle with comprehensive protection
Comprehensive coverage is an election. This is not automatically part of the auto insurance policy and is not part of the minimum insurance option required in any state. 1 Cover you if your vehicle is stolen, a tree falls on it or flooded during a storm.
Comprehensive insurance covers damage resulting from an accident other than a car accident. You are probably required to have both comprehensive insurance and collision insurance if you finance your vehicle because it acts as collateral for the loan.
What events are and are not covered by comprehensive insurance?
Hail: yes. If the interior of the car has damaged as a result of hail, comprehensive insurance can help cover the cost of repairing the vehicle.
Leaks: it depends. Heavy rains can cause water to get into your vehicle, even if you do everything in its power to keep it outside. This can be caused by improper sealing of windows, doors and even a sunroof. In this case, comprehensive insurance can help cover the damage suffered. Comprehensive insurance will not help cover damage caused by poor condition of the vehicle. As a driver, you are responsible for vehicle maintenance. So if your car suffers a water leak over time due to poor maintenance, the water damage caused will most likely not be covered. The same applies to owner error. If you leave the windows down and it rains, the insurance company will not refund your car repair costs.
Flood: yes. Because floods get out of drivers’ control if your car is damaged by heavy water caused by heavy rain, comprehensive collision coverage will help protect you and your vehicle.
Hurricanes: It depends. When hurricanes arrive, some drivers try to quickly sign up for full insurance in case something happens to their car. However, many companies impose hurricane restrictions on people trying to register when a big storm is approaching.
The insurance company protects against dishonest claims from people who pay for protection for only a few days to be able to apply for flood insurance. If you live in an area with recurring hurricanes or floods, you may want to consider car insurance well before the actual storm or incident. Then, if a hurricane damages your car, you can be sure that your comprehensive insurance will cover all damages.
