Restarting
stalled vehicle in flooded area magnifies damage
In such areas, engine protection, zero
depreciation, and roadside assistance riders are must-haves
Engine and gearbox protection
A comprehensive motor insurance policy includes
a third-party (TP) cover and an own-damage (OD) cover. While a TP cover, which
is mandatory, covers your against liabilities arising due to damage to a third
person, the OD cover offers protection against damage to the vehicle caused by
natural and manmade disaster. To offer adequate protection against flooding, a
comprehensive policy needs to be supplemented with multiple riders.
Flooding can cause the engine to stall. When
this happens, people often turn on the ignition repeatedly to restart the car.
This allows water to get into the engine and causes it to seize up permanently.
A comprehensive policy will not cover this damage, caused not by an impact but
by an act of the driver. Hence, you need to buy an engine protection cover.
Zero depreciation
Many parts of the engine or body may have to be
replaced during repairs. A comprehensive policy will not reimburse the full
cost of those parts.
Depreciation is applied based on the car’s age.
A 50 per cent depreciation could be applied to a five-year-old vehicle.
To avoid paying out of your pocket, you need a
zero depreciation cover. It allows the total cost of the car’s damaged parts to
be claimed, without any depreciation being applied based on age or type of part.
Roadside assistance cover
If the road you are travelling on is
waterlogged do not try to cross it. If your engine stalls in a waterlogged
area, do not try to restart it. Exit the car and call for your vehicle to be
towed.
Consumables cover
During repairs after flooding, consumables like
engine oil and gear oil may have to be replenished. The cost of such
consumables can easily mount to Rs 2000-5000. Buying this cover can help you
avoid this cost.
Once the car gets submerged
Once your vehicle gets flooded, exit it along
with the other passengers. Doing so can cause severe damage to the vehicle’s
electrical and mechanical systems, which might damage the car and could void
your insurance coverage.
Instead of trying to start the vehicle
yourself, you should arrange to have it towed to a workshop.
Take photographs or videos of the submerged
vehicle at the site to document the extent of damage. Once the water has
receded, disconnect the battery power.
Next, notify your insurer. Policyholders should
not delay claim intimation.
The insurer will then appoint a surveyor. The
surveyor will inspect your car and assess the damage. Once the assessment is
ready, the garage can be asked to start repair work.
Have the vehicle taken to a network garage, if
one is available nearby. The insurer will directly settle the bill with the
garage, and the insured will only need to pay any deductible or non-covered
expenses, if applicable.
If no network garage is available, you will
have to pay the bills and submit them to the insurer. The documents you need to
submit include photos (of the submerged car), a copy of the policy, and
anything else the insurer requests.
The insurer will reimburse the covered expenses
after reviewing the documents. One should not start repairs without the
insurer’s approval as this can affect the claims process.
Finally, exercise patience. Their firm’s claims
department has set up a special cell at their Egmore office in Chennai. Other
insurers would have done the same. Nonetheless, with garages and insurers
witnessing a surge of customers, there could be some delay in claim settlement
and repairs.
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