A comprehensive auto insurance policy covers the cost of repairs to a vehicle damaged due to natural disasters such as cyclones, lightning, earthquakes, landslides, floods, hurricanes, storms, typhoons and floods.
The two recent cyclones – Tauktae and Yaas – have wreaked havoc on the west and east coasts of India, respectively. Several regions of the country, including Orrisa, West Bengal, Gujarat, Goa, Maharashtra, Daman and Diu and many others, were submerged following heavy rains from the two cyclones. The damage was caused not only to thousands of homes and other properties, but also to several vehicles parked on the roads. The strong gushing winds from the cyclone uprooted hundreds of trees and poles, causing them to fall on vehicles parked along the road. In fact, even social networks are inundated with images of vehicles submerged in rainwater.
In many cases where vehicles are damaged due to rainwater, it is observed that rainwater can significantly damage several important components of the vehicle, causing severe damage to the engine, electrical system and transmission. . Often times the expense to repair these important parts can go up to Rs 2 – Rs 3 lakh. Fortunately, however, if your vehicle is damaged due to natural disasters, you can apply for insurance as long as you have a valid auto insurance policy.
A comprehensive auto insurance policy covers the cost of repairs to a vehicle damaged due to natural disasters such as cyclones, lightning, earthquakes, landslides, floods, hurricanes, storms, typhoons and floods.
Insurance plays an important role
If your vehicle was damaged during the recent cyclone, it is best to contact your insurer as soon as possible and follow the steps recommended by the agent to have your vehicle repaired. Before attempting to have your vehicle repaired, it is best to follow your insurer’s instructions and not to go to a local mechanic. Before filing a flood water damage claim, it is important to know that the claims process in such a scenario is comparatively longer than a regular claim such as a vehicle accident.
There are a few points that should be kept in mind and strictly followed to ensure that your application is not rejected. The biggest mistake most people make when their vehicle is damaged by flood water is trying to start the vehicle. People have this misconception that when you start the engine, the engine will heat up, which will eventually drain all the water. However, this is not true and this is the biggest mistake.
When you start the engine, water enters some internal parts of the engine like the vehicle’s pistons, resulting in a hydraulic lockout. Remember that once your vehicle is hydro-locked, the insurer can directly reject your claim as it was done because of your mistake. This is the reason why it is always suggested to bring your damaged vehicle directly to the workshop.
Buy the necessary add-ons
While it is important to invest in add-ons like Zero Depreciation, Key and Lock Replacement, Cover and Return to Invoice to make your auto insurance plan much more comprehensive, there are other add-ons as well. lesser-known that must be bought. for adequate coverage. One of them is engine protection coverage which is very important in claiming coverage for engine damage. If your engine is damaged due to flooding or heavy rain, your standard auto insurance policy will not pay for the damage because the car’s engine is not included in a standard policy.
To cover this cost, you will need to invest in engine protection coverage. Besides rainwater damage, this add-on also protects the engine against damage from oil and other machinery. This add-on is an essential insurance feature for saving a substantial amount of money at a nominal premium cost of 0.15% to 0.20% of declared insured value (IDV).
(Par Utpal Raman Sharma, Head-Car Insurance, Policybazaar.com)
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