Does auto insurance cover water leaks (sunroofs, floods, + storm damage)?

Does auto insurance cover water leaks? Water can easily cause enough damage to total a car, especially if it is trapped in a flood. Luckily, car insurance can help pay for repairs after water damage if you have the right coverage.

The only type of car insurance that covers flood damage is comprehensive auto insurance, which you can add to your insurance policy at any time.

Read on to learn more about comprehensive car insurance and if it’s right for you. Then, compare quotes with as many companies as possible using our free quote comparison tool to find the best comprehensive auto insurance rates for your needs.

When does car insurance cover flood damage?

If you want your policy to cover flood damage for your car, you need comprehensive auto insurance. The law doesn’t require comprehensive car insurance, but you might need it if you have a loan or lease on your vehicle. It’s also a good idea if your car is newer or expensive, even if you own it outright.

Comprehensive coverage isn’t just for flood damage — it also covers animal contact, fire, theft, and vandalism. Comprehensive plans also typically include windshield damage, and you might get to skip your deductible if your glass can be repaired.

Here’s a look at the best full coverage auto insurance rates across the U.S.

For extensive flood damage, car insurance will reimburse you for your vehicle’s actual cash value (ACV). Your car doesn’t have to be destroyed — damage only needs to reach a percentage of your vehicle’s ACV before your insurance company deems your car a total loss.

Learn more: How do insurance companies value totaled cars?

How much flood damage will total your car?

There are two levels of flood damage that insurance companies consider. Depending on the amount of flooding in your car, your insurance company will either pay for repairs or replace it.

Minor flood damage occurs when the water rises to the floor of your car or lower. Low-level floods usually don’t cause too much damage to vehicles and often only require minor repairs.

You might see heavy damage to your engine, braking, or electrical systems with flood waters that rise above your floorboard. Flood waters at this level require a thorough examination by a mechanic to ensure everything still works, even if your car seems normal.

Comprehensive insurance still covers extensive flood damage, though the average insurance payout for water damage depends on how badly your car is affected. If it would cost more to repair your vehicle than replace it, your comprehensive insurance will send you a check for your car’s ACV. Another thing to remember about flood damage to your car is that salt water usually does more damage than fresh water.

Additionally, comprehensive insurance only pays for the original parts in your vehicle, meaning modifications don’t have coverage. So if you’ve invested significantly in your vehicle, consider adding auto insurance for custom vehicles, which covers added parts and equipment coverage to your policy.

What do you do if you don’t have comprehensive insurance?

Comprehensive auto insurance pays for flood damage; you won’t have coverage without it. Consider what other types of car insurance cover to see why flood damage is only covered by comprehensive:

• Liability. Liability auto insurance covers damage you cause to other drivers and property. It doesn’t cover your car at all.
• Collision. Collision auto insurance pays for repairs to your car, but only after an accident.
• Uninsured motorist. While uninsured motorist auto insurance coverage pays for damages to your car, it only applies when a driver with inadequate coverage.
• Personal injury protection/medical payments. Personal injury protection (PIP) auto insurance is needed to cover medical bills for you and your passengers after an accident.

Homeowners insurance and renters insurance don’t cover flood damage, including your car and home. If you have a flood damage policy for your home, it doesn’t cover your vehicle. However, a flood damage policy will pay for items you had in your car that were damaged. With extreme weather on the rise, it’s a good idea to get comprehensive insurance if your car is worth more than $3,000.

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How do you file a claim for flood damage?

Filing a comprehensive auto insurance claim is as easy as filing any other claim. Most of the best comprehensive auto insurance companies allow customers to file claims using mobile apps or websites. If that’s not possible — or you prefer a different method — you can also file a claim by telephone or in person.

It’s important to file a claim as soon as possible after flood damage for two reasons. The most important is that delaying repairs could allow for more damage to occur within your vehicle. The second is that you’re probably not the only customer filing a claim in the area, which will slow down your company’s ability to make payments.

Learn more: Auto Insurance Comprehensive Claim Defined (2023)

No matter when you file your claim, take photos or videos of the damage to your car from as many angles as possible. Then, do your best to dry your car out. Most experts agree that you shouldn’t start your vehicle until a mechanic can look at it since it might force water deeper into your engine.

You’ll also need to get your oil, transmission fluid, and lube checked, as they might need to be drained and replaced.

Your insurance company will send a claims adjustor as soon as possible to evaluate the extent of your car’s damage and determine if it’s a total loss.

Does GAP insurance cover flood damage?

When you buy a car, it immediately starts to depreciate. As a result, your new car will never be worth the price you paid at the dealership, though some cars depreciate faster than others.

Some drivers have an upside-down loan during the first few years of ownership. An upside-down loan happens when your car’s value is worth less than the total you owe on your loan.

Guaranteed Auto Protection (GAP) insurance covers the difference in this situation. It applies to flood damage, but only if you have a pre-existing comprehensive insurance policy. GAP insurance won’t help you pay off your loan if you don’t have comprehensive coverage.

If you total your car while you have an upside-down loan, your insurance only pays for your car’s total value, meaning you won’t get a full water-damaged car write-off from your insurance. So, without GAP insurance, you’ll be stuck paying for a vehicle you no longer own.

How can you avoid buying a car with flood damage?

Hundreds of thousands of flood-damaged cars are for sale in the U.S. While flood damage doesn’t mean that a used car is unsafe to drive, you should take steps to determine how the vehicle was affected.

The first thing you should look at is the car’s title. When a vehicle is declared a total loss, it’s issued a salvage title (learn more: Salvage Title Defined). Cars with salvage titles can’t be driven or insured and usually get bought for scrap. However, you can repair a salvage title car and make it street-legal again if it passes a state inspection.

Once it passes inspection, the car gets a rebuilt title. If you see a rebuilt title for a used car, inquire about the damage. Most states require that rebuilt titles state if floodwaters damaged the car.

However, flood damage in a car isn’t always easy to spot. If you’re in the market for a used car, look for musty odors, mismatched carpets, rust around pedals, inside the hood, and around the doors, mud under seats, and dampness.

You can also check a car’s history through companies like Carfax or access the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s free VIN check.

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Find the Best Car Insurance to Cover Flood Damage Today

With the rising risk of flood damage from swelling rivers and extreme weather, protecting your car from floods is more crucial than ever. Comprehensive auto insurance is all you need to ensure your vehicle gets repaired or replaced after flooding.

Comprehensive insurance is usually an affordable add-on for your policy, but you should still research your options. Looking at rates from as many companies as possible will ensure you get the most affordable price.

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