Car Insurance for Flood Damage

If you only have a basic auto liability policy, you will not have coverage for any claims based on damage to your car. This type of insurance only covers you for damage to another person or car that you are responsible for in an accident.

The good news is that comprehensive auto coverage will take care of this type of damage.

Even though you will have to pay a deductible to have the damage to your car repaired, you will be able to get reimbursement for the repair costs or a settlement for the actual cash value of your vehicle if it is a total loss.

If you want to make sure your car is fully covered in case of a flood, start comparison shopping today for better auto insurance rates! Enter your ZIP code above!

The Benefits of Having Comprehensive Auto Coverage on Your Insurance Policy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntPe3mURmzo

While comprehensive auto coverage is not required by state law, it is still a great coverage to have for most drivers. You may even be required to have this auto coverage if you lease a car or are paying off a car loan.

If you are on the fence about whether comprehensive auto coverage makes sense in your situation, consider the age and value of your car.

In general, if you have an older car, it is less beneficial for you to have comprehensive auto coverage because the value of the car is probably lower.

If you live in an area susceptible to flooding and you are not able to pay out of pocket to replace your car when it is damaged by severe weather, then comprehensive auto coverage is probably a good idea for you.

You should make sure that when you set the price of your deductible for your comprehensive auto coverage that you can pay that amount.

If you choose a deductible that is too high, you will not be able to afford the cost of getting your car repaired.

Your Flooded Car Could Be a Total Loss

Water damage to your vehicle from a flood can be quite expensive to repair.

Depending on the overall value of your car and the estimated cost of repairs, the auto insurance company could decide to find that your car is a total loss.

In this case, you would receive a settlement check from the car insurance company for the value of your vehicle immediately before it was damaged by the flood.

Before you accept the settlement check for a total loss, you should keep in mind that this means you will no longer have title to the car.

If you disagree with your auto insurance company’s determination of the value of your car and the amount of settlement, you should not sign any settlement release or cash a check from the auto insurance company.

Finding a Good Rate on Comprehensive Auto Coverage

If you already have auto insurance through an insurance provider in your area, you can call and ask what it would cost to have comprehensive auto coverage added to your current policy.

After you have that rate, you should spend some time shopping around to compare rates that are available from other companies. You could find that you are paying too much for your current coverage based on what else is available in your area.

You should remember to ask if there are any applicable discounts for your comprehensive auto coverage.

For example, if you only drive your car a few times a week or have it parked in an enclosed location, this could result in significant savings on your auto insurance rate.

You could also qualify for a discount based on having your home owner’s insurance policy with the same company that takes care of your auto insurance coverage.

The car that you drive also matters in regards to the rate that you pay for comprehensive auto coverage.

For example, if you drive a luxury or performance vehicle, damage to that car would typically cost more to repair. The car insurance company would most certainly charge you more for comprehensive auto coverage in that scenario.

However, if you purchase a safe, reliable car, you are less likely to pay a higher rate for comprehensive auto coverage because the auto insurance company considers it to be a lower risk on the road.

What If You Do Not Have Comprehensive Auto Coverage

Even though you may not have comprehensive auto coverage, your auto insurance provider may still have a right to know that damage was done to your car.

Your insurance provider has a right to know since flood damage to your car can affect its safety on the road. You have a duty as a driver to make sure that your car is in safe working condition any time that you get behind the wheel.

It may be necessary to pay for the repairs to your damaged car out of your own pocket if you do not have comprehensive auto coverage.

If you fail to fix your car that has been damaged in a flood, the auto insurance company could have grounds to deny your claim in the future.

If you injure another driver or car on the road because your vehicle was not in sound condition after flood damage, you could have to pay for all of those claims on your own without any coverage.

Looking for better auto insurance rates? Enter your ZIP code below to start comparing and get the best quote to protect your car and yourself in case of a flood!