Does Car Insurance Protect You From Flood Damage
Does Car Insurance Protect You From Flood Damage
There is perhaps no faster way to have a vehicle completely totaled than sudden flooding of the engine and other critical components of the vehicle. However, many drivers may not know if their auto insurance will cover them for total coverage in the case of a flood. In this blog post, we will talk about what defines a car as flooded, what kind of damage that can do to your vehicle and how to make sure that your insurance coverage includes total coverage for flooding.
What is Flood Damage?
Flood damage occurs when water or some other liquid enters any part of your vehicle that is not designed to handle that kind of intrusion. For instance, if it rains, your vehicle is designed to handle the distribution of water on your vehicle. However, if water rises above a certain part of your vehicle, then critical parts of the vehicle may not be able to function properly.
Flood damage can cause mold to form on various parts of the vehicle. In more severe cases, the vehicle can completely be totaled if water enters critical parts of the engine. In the aftermath of a flood or a hurricane, tens of thousands of vehicles are totaled because of water and flood damage. In fact, floods are the number one natural disaster in the United States according to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
Does Auto Insurance Cover Flood Damage?
If your vehicle currently has comprehensive coverage, then you should be covered against flooding. When you rent or lease a vehicle, you will be required to have comprehensive coverage. If you own a vehicle, comprehensive coverage is not mandatory. However, since flooding occurs in all 50 states, it is highly recommended that you get comprehensive coverage to protect you against a flood.
As an insurance agency based in Georgia, our clients are especially susceptible to floods during the summer storm and hurricane season. Even if you do not live near a lake, river or the Atlantic Ocean, you can be especially vulnerable to flooding in the case of a tropical or flash flood event.
How to Ensure I Am Properly Covered?
You should check to make sure that you have comprehensive coverage on your vehicle. If you are in doubt, contact your insurance company and ask them if your current auto insurance plan includes flood damage coverage. If you are not covered for flood damage, then immediately get comprehensive coverage. If you do not have comprehensive coverage, you will have to pay the repair bills do any flood damage to the vehicle. This could include having the entire engine replaced. If you own a vehicle that is over 5 years old, flood damage repair bills can exceed the value of the vehicle. If you have flood damage coverage, your insurance will pay you the actual cash value (ACV) of your vehicle after you have paid the comprehensive deductible.
Contact Us Today
If you would like to receive a free quote for auto insurance that includes flood damage coverage, then contact our offices today. We can offer comprehensive coverage on any mote vehicle including RVs, motorcycles and other street-legal vehicles.
