Flood Car Insurance Coverage

As much as we appreciate a rain shower in the scorching heat of the Middle East, excessive rainfall can often lead to waterlogging in many areas. Furthermore, driving on flooded roads is a stressful experience and can damage the car. 

This is where a comprehensive car insurance plan with a natural peril add-on comes to the scene. If your plan covers damages caused due to flood, you may save a lot of repair expenses.

Let’s take a look at all you need to know about comprehensive motor insurance coverage for floods in the UAE. 

Does Car Insurance Cover Flood Damage?

Comprehensive car insurance policies offer add-ons like natural peril in case of any damage to your vehicle due to natural disasters like floods, tornadoes, and more. Third-party car insurance plans don’t offer flood damage coverage, whether in the UAE or any other country — only comprehensive plans are meant to cover such flood-related damages. Most comprehensive plans in the UAE offer natural peril add-ons that can help cover the costs of car damages due to floods. However, make sure that your car is parked in the flooded area — you should not attempt to start the vehicle in such scenarios. 

Which Car Insurance Covers Flood Damages?

Comprehensive car insurance covers vehicle damages due to natural disasters like floods via natural peril add-on cover. To get this coverage, you need to pay an additional premium. 

Types of Flood Damages

The following are the types of damages floods can do to your car -

• Engine: The engine is one of the most important and (often) the first to get damaged car parts. Engine damages can be partial or total depending on the amount of water that has entered. Partial damages can be recovered with an engine breakdown cover. However, cars with completely damaged engines are generally declared totalled. An engine breakdown cover can also come in handy for people living in flood-prone areas.
• Gearbox: These damages are generally repairable but may render the car unusable in some cases. Flood damage car insurance plans often cover these damages.
• Electrical: Electrical parts of the cars like the lights on the dashboard and circuits inside the bonnet are also prone to getting damaged due to water.
• Upholstery: If your car is submerged in water, there is a high possibility of upholstery damage especially if materials like leather have been used for the interiors. Many car flood insurance plans cover damages done to upholstery as well.
• Rusting: Another common damage that can happen to your vehicle is rusting. This destroys the car’s surface — shine, structural integrity, and car paint. 
• Damage to Exhaust System: Emitting harmful gases out of the car, this is one of the most important systems of the car. Often, due to floods and the submersion of vehicles in waterlogged areas, the exhaust system is damaged and restricts fuel emission. 

What to Do If Your Car Has Submerged in Water?

Consider these steps if your car gets submerged in water —

• Avoid starting your car as it increases the chances of engine damage. It is better not to give it a try till a professional assessment is done. 
• Document the damage by clicking pictures and making videos. This will help in claim assistance.
• Report the situation to the police. Get a police report or a ‘to whom it may concern’ certificate to substantiate your insurance claim. 

Can I Get My Car Totalled Due to Flood Damage?

Yes, it is possible to have your car totalled due to water logging. If the damage was unavoidable, your car flood insurance plan, combined with the basic car insurance coverage, will offer you compensation as per the current value of the car. 

How to File Car Flood Damage Insurance Claim?

To make the claim process effortless, follow these steps —

• Don’t start the car if it is fully or partially submerged. Instead, file a complaint with the police and obtain a report. Next, connect with the RSA service authorised by your insurance company. 
• Record the damages incurred by your vehicle via photos or videos as investigation proof. Once you raise a claim intimation, this is what happens —
• If your plan includes roadside assistance, the insurer will arrange for vehicle pickup once you file a claim.
• The repair centre will prepare a detailed estimate and share it with the insurer for approval.
• An insurance surveyor will inspect and approve the repair work.
• You'll be informed about the repair timeline and notified when the car is ready.
• Collect your car from the repair centre and complete the survey sent to you via email.

Things to Remember Before Filing Car Flood Damage Insurance Claim

• Always be clear and honest while reporting the extent of damage sustained due to flooding. Be specific whether the damage is limited to the engine or has spread out to other parts of the car as well. 
• Keep in mind that you will be liable to pay any deductibles applicable to your car flood insurance plan.
• Don’t assume that the car has been totalled just because it has incurred heavy damage from the flood. The insurance inspector will examine that for you and give you a realistic picture of the same. 
• Clear all your doubts about the damage that your vehicle has incurred. Your provider will most definitely send a qualified technician to inspect the car.
• Don’t tamper with the car’s systems or try to dry them out on your own. Let the professionals approved by your provider handle this for you. Any additional damages caused in an attempt at recovery may not be covered by your car flood insurance cover.