Is your car flooded/washed away? Will the insurance cover it? How is a total loss determined? This article explains all the issues thoroughly.

The car is washed away by water, and it can be fully compensated!

Recently, there has been heavy rain in Beijing, and there has been serious waterlogging in many places. Many cars have suffered.

Seeing their beloved cars soaked in water, car owners are anxious and heart - broken, but they don't know what to do.

So, for us ordinary people, how should we correctly handle a car that has been soaked in water? Can the insurance company compensate? How much will it compensate? Don't worry. Jiguo Jun has compiled this "Emergency Guide for Water - Soaked Cars". From emergency treatment to insurance claims, we'll teach you step by step how to handle it!

Emergency treatment after the car is flooded

First of all, what should you do as soon as your beloved car is soaked in water?

For owners of fuel - powered cars

1. When the vehicle stalls and cannot move normally due to waterlogging while driving

Remember! Don't rush to restart the vehicle! Prevent secondary damage to the engine. You just need to call the insurance company to report the accident, and the insurance company will assign a claims adjuster to conduct an on - site inspection.

2. When the vehicle is flooded while in a stationary state

After confirming that water has entered the cabin, contact the insurance company to report the accident and conduct an inspection.

For owners of new energy vehicles

Since it is an electric vehicle, it should be treated more carefully when exposed to water. Car owners should do the following steps:

Step 1: Cut off the power immediately

It is strictly prohibited to restart the vehicle after stalling in deep water. Immediately press and hold the emergency power - off button (refer to the vehicle manual for details)

Don't take a chance and restart the vehicle. Repairing a short - circuited high - voltage system costs 10 times more than that of a fuel - powered car!

Step 2: Evacuate people

The vehicle may be electrified after wading. People should quickly stay away from the vehicle to ensure safety.

Step 3: Call for rescue

Then contact the 4S store or the insurance company and emphasize that a special trailer for new energy vehicles is needed (to avoid secondary damage to the chassis battery). When towing, flatbed transportation is required, not traditional towing.

The above are the emergency measures you need to take immediately after your beloved car is soaked in water...

Repair it this way to avoid wasting money

Note! After a water - soaked car, it must be professionally overhauled. This is the key to successful repair and claims settlement.

Light water - soaking of fuel - powered cars

If the water only submerges the wheels or the water level is below the seat cushion, it can be quickly disassembled, washed, and dried. After repair, it will basically not affect normal use.

But remember to test - drive the car for one month after repair. Pay special attention to whether there are any circuit malfunctions or abnormal noises.

Severe water - soaking of fuel - powered cars

In the case where the water level reaches the dashboard or above, it is recommended to negotiate with the insurance company for a total loss compensation and no longer repair the vehicle.

After all, the repaired car is prone to problems. It's better to use the compensation to buy a new car.

If it is a new energy vehicle, the items that must be inspected after water - soaking are:

• Air tightness test of the battery pack
• Insulation resistance test of high - voltage wiring harness
• Check if water has entered the motor cavity
• Oxidation condition of the charging interface

The trouble with electric cars is that even if the car can still run after the battery is soaked in water, the battery life may be halved. In addition, if the vehicle is severely damaged, in order to avoid having inferior batteries replaced during repair and even having disputes with the insurance company later, car owners must take photos of the battery nameplate and the water - soaked position in advance to keep evidence.

Warm reminder: Many repair shops raise prices after heavy rain. It is recommended to contact the cooperation outlets of the insurance company first.

If your beloved car has only waded through water slightly, don't take the subsequent maintenance lightly.

1. Wash the car in time

Urban rainwater contains acidic substances, which can easily corrode the car paint. Thoroughly wash the car as soon as the weather clears up.

2. Focus on maintenance

It is recommended to lubricate and dehumidify the door locks, door hinges and other parts, and check and replace the wiper blades if necessary.

3. Check the details

Remove the carpet and dry it to avoid mildew and unpleasant odors.

A small oversight may lead to big problems. These follow - up tasks must not be skipped!

Both water - soaking and being washed away can be compensated!

Now, here comes the key point! After a vehicle is damaged by heavy rain due to non - human factors, it will inevitably involve claims settlement.

Under what circumstances can compensation be obtained?

1. First of all, car owners don't need to worry about not being able to get compensation because they didn't buy the wading insurance.

After the insurance reform in 2020, including wading insurance, vehicle damage insurance, comprehensive theft insurance, glass insurance, spontaneous combustion insurance, deductible insurance, special insurance for inability to find a third - party, and designated repair shop insurance have all been included in the vehicle damage insurance. As the main insurance, as long as the vehicle has commercial insurance, vehicle damage insurance will definitely be purchased.

To put it simply, you can get compensation if you have purchased vehicle damage insurance. If you haven't, the car owner has to bear the loss himself.

Can it be fully compensated?

For owners of fuel - powered cars

• The vehicle is soaked in water

Generally, the water - soaked damage level can be initially judged by grading according to the water level line (seat/dashboard height).

The insurance company's total loss compensation mainly depends on two points:

1. Water level height: If it exceeds the dashboard, it basically meets the total loss standard

2. Repair cost: At the same water level, luxury cars have higher repair costs and are more likely to be determined as total losses

If the standards are met, the claims adjuster will negotiate with the car owner and choose total loss compensation or repair according to the car owner's wishes.

• The vehicle is directly washed away by the flood

First, look for the car, then notify the insurance company to report the accident, and the claims adjuster will follow up on the claim.

• If the car cannot be found, report to the police first and obtain a loss certificate and a cancellation certificate. For the vehicle that has not been found, the insurance company generally treats it as a constructive total loss.

Note that "full compensation" is not the money you spent when you bought the car, but the current value of the car. For example, if you bought a car for 200,000 yuan and have driven it for a few years, the car has depreciated. The insurance company will compensate for the current actual value. For example, after driving for 3 years, the car may only be worth 120,000 yuan, and the maximum compensation will be 120,000 yuan.

In a word, the compensation is calculated based on the actual service life of the vehicle for depreciation. And under normal circumstances, the compensation amount does not exceed the maximum insurance amount of the vehicle damage insurance for the vehicle.

For owners of new energy vehicles

The claims settlement for electric cars is generally the same as that for fuel - powered cars:

If the power battery is damaged due to heavy rain disasters and you have purchased vehicle damage insurance, you can get normal compensation. The main difference is that fuel - powered cars focus on the engine and electronic components, while new energy vehicles mainly claim compensation for the three - electric system.

Since the battery of an electric car is located on the chassis, it is more likely to be soaked in water and the repair cost is too high. So the probability of being determined as a constructive total loss is higher. Car owners should keep a complete evidence chain of the battery being soaked in water.

Also, it should be emphasized that there are differences in the claims settlement policies and procedures of different insurance companies. Car owners need to communicate with the insurance company in time and submit relevant certification materials, such as accident certificates, repair invoices, vehicle driving licenses, etc., to complete the claims settlement process smoothly.

Can the loss of property in the car be claimed for compensation?

• Vehicle damage insurance does not compensate for the loss of property in the car
• If you have purchased property insurance/theft insurance, you can contact the underwriting company for consultation

In which situations will the insurance company refuse to compensate?

❌ Uninspected vehicles

❌ Restarting the engine after stalling in water

❌ Not having purchased vehicle damage insurance

The above situations all belong to artificially expanding the loss, and the insurance company will definitely not compensate.

By the way, after your beloved car is in danger, the car owner should try to report the accident within 48 hours. If the time limit is exceeded, the claim may be rejected. Some companies have stricter requirements and require the accident to be reported within 24 hours.

"Life - saving skills" for experienced drivers

The heavy rain is merciless, but we can plan ahead. Please keep this life - saving guide for your beloved car👇

Prevention before heavy rain

• Parking

Choose a parking lot with a high terrain. Don't park under trees (afraid of being hit and flooded)

• Install two protective devices

Waterproof valve for the air intake (to prevent water from entering the engine)

Chassis armor coating (to delay circuit corrosion)

Minimize losses after being flooded

• Keep a window breaker in the car (in case the doors and windows cannot be opened when the water level is too high)
• Before selling a water - soaked and repaired car second - hand, first get a "full - vehicle inspection report"

Just in case, how should you buy insurance?

• Vehicle damage insurance is a must - buy for basic protection
• Recommended for upgraded protection

Key modified parts of the vehicle need to be insured separately!

For the three - electric system of new energy vehicles, additional insurance should be purchased. It is more transparent to choose a 4S store for damage assessment during repair (the insurance company may refuse to compensate for non - original parts).

Having said so much, in short, when encountering the unpleasant situation of your vehicle being flooded by heavy rain, don't panic. Handling it in the correct way can minimize your losses. I hope all your beloved cars can be safe! How is your car during this heavy rain in Beijing? Do you have any experience of your car being soaked in water? Let's talk in the comment section and give each other some advice~

This article is from the WeChat public account "Jiguo.com". Author: Jiguo. Republished by 36Kr with permission.