Whenever your vehicle gets damaged in a flood, you must immediately file an auto insurance claim with your insurer. And for the due formalities, you may be asked for additional information about the incident from your car insurance company if the car gets damaged or faces a collision.
However, make sure to take pictures of your damaged vehicle and present them to the cheapest car insurance company.
Comprehensive insurance does not cover entire kinds of water-related damage. The vehicle insurance company can easily deny your claim whenever your vehicle is damaged since you left your window down under a rainstorm or since there is a slow leakage that did not resolve.
Things You Should Know Before Filing a Claim
For redeeming the damage caused to your car, here are some important things you should know before filing a claim to the insurance company:
1. Never Start a Car that is Already Submerged
Irrespective of how tempted you are to start your already-submerged car, refrain from doing so as it can damage the car’s engine. These damages are not covered under an insurance policy like a collision or liability coverage.
You can click the photos even if the car has a damaged part. Using technology at this time appears fruitful as they are shown as evidence of damages at a later stage. However, it is not compulsory to take photos as they are displayed as evidence of the damage at later phases.
2. Always Notify Your Insurer Sooner
Floods can cause massive damages as many will be under insurance claims. Therefore, always inform your insurer and send the affected vehicle to the service center.
You can send a mail to your low-cost car insurance company or call up customer care or even visit their branch office by filling out a car insurance claim form while using the mobile application to notify the insurer.
You can even attach these photos in an email or upload them in the app if they have the respective feature. Request them for the claim docket number after you have informed the company.
If you are an uninsured motorist, it is important to stay proactive as delaying the process to send your vehicle to the service center increases the chances of water affecting the vehicle resulting in long-term damages.
3. If Documents Get Misplaced
Whenever you lose your documents in a flood, you need not get worried about it since there is often a possibility that you will have the requisite policy on the email. You even have your contact number for the insurance company and offer them the requisite details such as the name, mobile number, and other required information to get your insurance policy details.
4. Proper Damage Inspection
After you are done filing for the claim, your insurer will assign the claim adjusters to check out the amount of damage the water did to your vehicle. Adjuster always looks for signs of water in your engine while checking for corrosion as part of the process. It will help them to inform whether the car is repaired or if it is a complete loss.
Several companies use virtual claim adjusters instead of sending someone to inspect the damages personally.
Irrespective of the type of adjustment mode you use, the insurers let you know what they can expect once they have decided. In this process, you can ask the required questions ensuring that you know the decisions well.
Whenever you disagree with a decision, start by discussing the same with your agent. Always ask your insurer has the proper appeal process. Next, you have to review your policy to confirm the coverage. If you still feel like your claim is denied, file complaints with the state’s insurance department. You may even search for legal counsel whenever the dispute is made according to the decision.
5. Consider the Repair or Opt for a Replacement
Whenever your car is not totaled, a repair starts as soon as they get approved. Your car insurance will reduce the amount they are paying for covered repair by the cost of your deductibles.
However, flood damage often covers the total vehicle. Whenever your car is a total loss, your insurance company is paying you the car’s fair market value, reducing the deductible. You can utilize this money to buy a different car if you select.
6. Settlement Procedure
The reimbursement is performed according to the loss extent. Whenever the car is not repaired, the owner of the vehicle is given the insured value of the vehicle.
Numerous insurance companies have clearly stated the process that is followed during the time of filing the claim for the flooded vehicle. They have even made the claim settlement techniques less complex due to the number of claims under this circumstance increasing rapidly.
Final Thoughts
You need to get your vehicle insured with the help of the cheapest car insurance company if you think of purchasing a car with flood damages. However, finding the right company to insure your car with flood damage is never easy!
Wow, I had no idea that you could use car insurance to receive a claim if your car gets involved in a disaster, such as flooding. I learned a rumor that my colleague plans to purchase a home around a rain-prone area. I’ll probably relay this information with him so he’d know what to do before getting a car.