• what to do if your car is trapped in a flood

    Posted on May 13, 2016 by in Insurance tip

    What should you do if you find that your car is trapped in a flood.  It may be a submerge basement parking, or you can be caught in a flash flood that you cannot escape due to the traffic congestion.  Flash food is common in Malaysia, especially in Kuala Lumpur where a sudden downpour can immersed dozens of cars in deep, muddy water.

    Inundation in water can seriously damage the engine, electrical system and interior of a car. These are some steps that you may want to consider if your car was trapped in the flood.

    1. Don’t try to start your car
    Your first instinct may be to start your car to test if it is still working. Avoid this as starting the car can wreak havoc on the engine and damage it beyond repair.

    2. Determine how high the water reached
    If you left your car parked and came back and found it partially submerged, determine the level the water reached by looking for a waterline on the interior or exterior of the car. If water breached only the lower door sill, it may be still safe to start the car and drive off.

    3. Check oil and air cleaner
    If water gets into the air filter or engine oil, you should avoid starting the engine. Call a tow truck to tow your car to your mechanic.

    4. Check all other fluids
    Muddy water can get into power steering, brake, clutch and coolant reservoirs. Check these fluids to ensure water has not seeped into them, causing further damage to the car.

    5. Dry out your car’s interior
    Open the doors and air out your interior. Muddy water can leave a foul stench that can stick to the interior for months, so you may want to remove the carpet and seats and have them cleaned at the local car wash.

    6. Check if you have flood insurance
    Check your insurance policy to see if flood is covered. Standard car insurance policies do not cover floods, unless you have opt for Special Perils Coverage. Special Perils Coverage premium is 0.5% of sum insured. If your car is insured for RM40,000.00, premium for Special Perils coverage is only RM200. This will protect you against damage from flood. Otherwise, if you have Enhanced Road Warrior from Allianz, you will get compensation up to RM1,500.00

    So, while you are now reading about what to do when you are trapped in a flood, you may want to call your agent or insurance companies to add-on Special Perils Coverage before disaster strike.

    KL Flash Flood

    Above image extracted from The Star Newspaper.

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