Car insurance - Tips & Advice - Car maintenance
Recent floods have left many car owners quite literally and financially submerged. However, if you are a Direct Line car insurance customer you could be covered for some flood-related damage that has occurred…
The floods in 2007 affected thousands of car owners with many vehicles ending up completely under water or impossible to take out on the road. Such damage can be hugely costly, whether a car needs to be completely replaced or taken to the garage for repairs.
Fortunately, with Direct Line we do include flooding as a possible cause of damage under Section B of our car insurance policy document. This Section does apply to Comprehensive customers only so if you only have Third Party Fire & Theft or Third Party Only it could be a good idea to upgrade.
Section B states that if your car is damaged we will decide to pay to repair the damage or repair the damage ourselves. We could also replace what is lost or damaged if this is more cost-effective than repairing it. In both cases we will not pay more than the market value of your car at the time of the loss. We also do not cover the sum of excesses shown on your personal policy schedule. Some exceptions and conditions do apply, so please do consult our policy document in full before you make a claim, or call us if you are unsure.
If your car is subject to damage by a flood, or you anticipate that a flood could strike near you, then the following tips could also help you deal with the emergency at hand:
- If there is time before a flood strikes, move your car to a safe place – higher ground, for example – out of the reach of the floodwater.
- As well as covering repairs to your car and towing charges, Direct Line Comprehensive car insurance will also cover damage to upholstery, carpets and stereo systems up to the limits as stated on your schedule.
- Never attempt to drive through floodwater as this is almost bound to damage your engine, particularly if you have a turbo-charged or diesel engine. Your Direct Line Comprehensive car insurance policy also does not cover for electrical faults so you don’t want to risk this damage occurring too.
- If your car is submerged, do not try to start the engine. Instead, if possible, extract the water and allow the car to dry out. You may be lucky and find that the water has not been sufficiently deep to ruin the engine.
Direct Line also provides a detailed flood advice guide for what to do if a flood occurs at home. This applies to Car and Home Insurance owners. If you don’t have adequate Car or Home Insurance against emergencies such as floods then apply for a quote now.
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