SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio has seen its share of cars and trucks stuck in high water this week, with the fire department responding to more than 30 high-water rescue calls.
Additionally, insurance agents have been busy.
“We have seen an increase in claims from USAA, and other insurers have seen an increase in claims,” USAA Communications Director Rebekah Nelson said.
When water gets inside the vehicle
First things first: get to a safe place, and don’t start the engine.
“It can end up flooding the engine and causing additional damage,” Nelson said.
Next, take a picture of your odometer or the oil change sticker on your window to document the mileage, if possible.
Take as many pictures as necessary to document the damage to your car.
Then, call your insurance company as soon as possible to start filing the claim.
Try to complete all of these tasks before taking your car to a mechanic’s garage.
When it comes to flooding, what does insurance cover?
Nelson said comprehensive coverage are the magic words: not full coverage or liability coverage.
“It starts hailing, flooding, raining, weather, tornado — those are acts of God, and those are comprehensive coverage,” Nelson said.
When is your car considered a total loss?
If there is water damage inside, there is a high possibility that the car could be considered a total loss.
“If water enters into your vehicle and there are electrical components, whether in the floorboard of the car or further up, if there’s electrical damage, we’re really going to inspect that to make sure that you can safely continue to drive your vehicle,” Nelson said. “And that’s key. Safety is the No. 1 priority.”
Each insurance company and policy is different, so make sure to discuss coverage plans with an agent.
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