During the summer, thunderstorms can often pop up very quickly. While usually short in duration, they can also bring intense conditions, including heavy downpours. During these bursts of rainfall, a common result might be flash flooding. When such flooding occurs, vehicles caught on the road or in low-lying areas might sustain water damage. Will your car insurance pay for these losses?

What is Flash Flooding?

Flash flooding occurs when heavy rainfall occurs in a short time. This means that water accumulates quickly and doesn’t have time to run off. Therefore, flooding occurs because the water cannot dissipate.

Even if the water runs off quickly after the storm ends, it still only takes moment for a few inches of water to cause a lot of damage. Your car might wind up being one of the victims.

Risks of Water Damage to Your Car

Water is not supposed to enter your car. That is why cars have hoods and roofs protecting them. Still, flash flooding might prove too much for your car to withstand. As the water rises, it could easily flood every nook and cranny of your vehicle. Some of the damage it might cause is:

• Contamination and mold damage to the interior.
• Flooding the engine and gas lines.
• Destroying the battery and electrical system.
• Rust and corrosion.
• Damage to the brakes.

The cost of repairing this damage might prove costly, especially if your vehicle has a computer system. However, at times, the water damage can prove too much. As a result, the vehicle might be a total loss.

Letting Car Insurance Pay for Flood Damage

Your car insurance might be able to help you when the vehicle gets damaged in a flash flood. However, certain conditions might apply.

• Your policy will need to include comprehensive coverage. This coverage pays for damage to your car from damage not related to a collision. Auto policies often don’t automatically include this coverage. You usually must request it when you enroll.
• Policies will include deductibles. You will have to pay a portion of the repair cost yourself, while your insurer may pay the rest of the claim.
• If the car is a total loss, the insurer will settle with you for the vehicle’s value. Often, the policy won’t pay the full value of a new car, but rather the used value of the car at the time of the loss.
• Some policies won’t pay for flood damage at all. For example, if you leave your windows down and rain gets into the vehicle, then your policy might not pay.

If flash flooding threatens, it is best to stay off the road if you can. If you get caught out in a storm, and don’t feel like you can continue to drive, then pull over and wait for the worst of the rain to pass. Never drive through standing water.