Does car insurance cover flood damage?

Seeking Advice
1

I’ve been wondering if my car insurance will cover flood damage after a big storm like Hurricane Helene. I think I have full coverage, but I’m not sure if that includes flooding. Does anyone know how this works? Do I need a separate policy for floods?

2

Yeah, your car insurance will cover flood damage, but only if you have comprehensive coverage. It covers damage from things like floods, hail, and vandalism. If you don’t have that, you’d have to pay out of pocket.

3

@Devi
What about driving through a flooded street? Does that count under comprehensive?

4

Soren said:
@Devi
What about driving through a flooded street? Does that count under comprehensive?

Yep, it’s covered as long as you’ve got comprehensive. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to pay your deductible first.

5

Make sure to take pictures and document everything if your car gets damaged. It helps when filing the claim, and you’ll need your policy number handy too.

6

prince said:
Make sure to take pictures and document everything if your car gets damaged. It helps when filing the claim, and you’ll need your policy number handy too.

Good tip! I always take ‘before’ pics when a storm’s coming, just in case I need to show what the car looked like before the damage.

7

If your car gets totaled by the flood, your insurance payout will be based on its actual cash value, not the cost to replace it. So keep that in mind—it might be less than what you expect.

8

Nile said:
If your car gets totaled by the flood, your insurance payout will be based on its actual cash value, not the cost to replace it. So keep that in mind—it might be less than what you expect.

Yeah, I found that out the hard way. My payout didn’t cover the cost of getting a similar car. If you owe more on the car than it’s worth, you might want to look into gap insurance.

9

If you’re financing your car, comprehensive is usually required by your lender. But if you own it outright, it’s optional. It’s definitely worth keeping if you live in an area prone to storms or flooding.

10

@Blair
I’m considering dropping my comprehensive coverage since my car isn’t worth much anymore. Would you still recommend keeping it for things like floods?

11

agness said:
@Blair
I’m considering dropping my comprehensive coverage since my car isn’t worth much anymore. Would you still recommend keeping it for things like floods?

If your car’s not worth a lot, it might not be worth the extra cost. It really depends on whether you could afford to replace it if it got totaled.