Will Comprehensive Coverage Cover Your Car's Flood Damage?

A storm is an unexpected and, sometimes, difficult to plan for event. As a result, most auto insurance policies provide coverage for storm damage. This depends on the type of policy you have. If you have damage to your car, contact your car insurance agent. He or she can offer specific claim assistance. There are a few things to know first.

What Type of Auto Insurance Do You Have?

Comprehensive coverage provides financial protection from storm damage. This is generally not a mandatory type of insurance policy, however. You may have it if you have a vehicle with a loan or lease. If the vehicle is valuable to you, you should maintain this policy regardless. It can provide coverage for most types of storm damage to the car. This includes flooding and damage from wind, hail, and falling objects.

How Can You File a Claim for Storm Damage?

When a storm occurs, do your best to protect the car. Move it out of the way of risk. After the storm occurs, check the vehicle over. If there is damage, take photos of it. Then, contact your insurer. Your auto insurance agent first determines if you have coverage. Then, the goal is to determine if filing a claim is a possibility.

If the damage is minor, you may not wish to file a claim. Most policies have a deductible. Any type of claim filed applies to that deductible. If the damage is not more than the deductible, the insurance company does not pay out anything. For example, hail damage may create only a few marks on the paint. This may cost $200 to fix. But, if your deductible is $500, the insurance company does not pay you.

Storm damage tends to be different when flooding occurs. Flooding is hard to clean and can create long-term damage to the interior or engine of the car. Most often, this type of claim will require a full inspection of the car to determine if repairs are possible. If not, your insurer may total the car. This means it would pay out the highest amount based on the value of your car.