Follow these 9 steps if your car is flooded with water during the monsoon
It is essential to be prepared for extreme weather events by buying insuring your vehicle
- Jul 19, 2023,
- Updated Jul 19, 2023 9:28 AM IST
The Southwest Monsoon has picked up the pace, and parts of the country have recorded excess rainfall and flooding as a result. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, floods are the most common of all natural disasters. Because of their unpredictability and speed, flash floods can be hard to protect against, especially for motorists.
Though such natural disasters occur with little warning, one must be prepared, for instance, by purchasing motor vehicle insurance to take care of any expense that may arise due to natural disasters. Water damage can destroy everything from your car’s interiors to your wheels.
Gaurav Arora, Chief of Underwriting and Claims Property & Casualty at ICICI Lombard, explains what one can do if their car is flooded with water:
Step 1: Call your vehicle insurance provider: Like any other accident, the first step on your checklist should be to call your vehicle insurance company.
Step 2: Do not try to start the engine: While your instinct is to try to restart the engine, resist this temptation. If water has already entered your car engine, trying to start your car could destroy the engine.
Step 3: Assess the damage: Survey the extent of the damage before you take the next step. Debris and mud create a waterline around the interior as well as the exterior of your car.
Let the motor insurance company surveyor assess your car if the water level is above the dashboard. If the water is below the bottom of the doors, move to Step Four
Step 4: Open the doors: If your car is flooded, its interiors, if left unattended, can grow mould. Once you open the doors and roll down the windows, do the following:
- Place towels on the floor
- Get the car to a higher ground
Step 5: Disconnect the battery: Before you check the other parts of your vehicle, disconnecting the battery can protect you from electric shocks.
Step 6: Look under the hood: Do not start your engine if you see any of the following:
- Water droplets on the dipstick
- High oil level
- Water in the air filter
Step 7: Change oil and air filter: The next step to take if your car is flooded is to change the fluids. You can either carry out these repairs yourself or wait for a surveyor.
- Change the engine oil
- Change the transmission fluid
If doing it yourself, you should always wear gloves and eye protection if you are working under your vehicle. And make sure only to work when the engine and the oil are cool.
Step 8: Check other signs of damage: If you have an older vehicle, chances are the fuel system is not sealed. In this case, you’ll need to check out the following fluids:
- Braking fluid
- Clutch fluid
- Coolant
- Power steering fluid
However, it is better to contact a professional car mechanic if you are inexperienced and do not know how to go about it. Additionally, if your car is flooded, electrical components will be the first to get affected. A thorough check is recommended to ensure that all of them function properly.
Step 9: Check the tyres: Clean the tires with a hose to check the damage. Next, check the tire pressure. In case of high pressure, head to a petrol pump to optimise the pressure.
Follow this detailed checklist to assess the situation if your car is flooded. However, taking out motor vehicle insurance is the best measure to protect your car and cover the losses in case of a natural or man-made disaster. Furthermore, a vehicle insurance policy also covers theft or third-party liability losses.
The Southwest Monsoon has picked up the pace, and parts of the country have recorded excess rainfall and flooding as a result. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, floods are the most common of all natural disasters. Because of their unpredictability and speed, flash floods can be hard to protect against, especially for motorists.
Though such natural disasters occur with little warning, one must be prepared, for instance, by purchasing motor vehicle insurance to take care of any expense that may arise due to natural disasters. Water damage can destroy everything from your car’s interiors to your wheels.
Gaurav Arora, Chief of Underwriting and Claims Property & Casualty at ICICI Lombard, explains what one can do if their car is flooded with water:
Step 1: Call your vehicle insurance provider: Like any other accident, the first step on your checklist should be to call your vehicle insurance company.
Step 2: Do not try to start the engine: While your instinct is to try to restart the engine, resist this temptation. If water has already entered your car engine, trying to start your car could destroy the engine.
Step 3: Assess the damage: Survey the extent of the damage before you take the next step. Debris and mud create a waterline around the interior as well as the exterior of your car.
Let the motor insurance company surveyor assess your car if the water level is above the dashboard. If the water is below the bottom of the doors, move to Step Four
Step 4: Open the doors: If your car is flooded, its interiors, if left unattended, can grow mould. Once you open the doors and roll down the windows, do the following:
- Place towels on the floor
- Get the car to a higher ground
Step 5: Disconnect the battery: Before you check the other parts of your vehicle, disconnecting the battery can protect you from electric shocks.
Step 6: Look under the hood: Do not start your engine if you see any of the following:
- Water droplets on the dipstick
- High oil level
- Water in the air filter
Step 7: Change oil and air filter: The next step to take if your car is flooded is to change the fluids. You can either carry out these repairs yourself or wait for a surveyor.
- Change the engine oil
- Change the transmission fluid
If doing it yourself, you should always wear gloves and eye protection if you are working under your vehicle. And make sure only to work when the engine and the oil are cool.
Step 8: Check other signs of damage: If you have an older vehicle, chances are the fuel system is not sealed. In this case, you’ll need to check out the following fluids:
- Braking fluid
- Clutch fluid
- Coolant
- Power steering fluid
However, it is better to contact a professional car mechanic if you are inexperienced and do not know how to go about it. Additionally, if your car is flooded, electrical components will be the first to get affected. A thorough check is recommended to ensure that all of them function properly.
Step 9: Check the tyres: Clean the tires with a hose to check the damage. Next, check the tire pressure. In case of high pressure, head to a petrol pump to optimise the pressure.
Follow this detailed checklist to assess the situation if your car is flooded. However, taking out motor vehicle insurance is the best measure to protect your car and cover the losses in case of a natural or man-made disaster. Furthermore, a vehicle insurance policy also covers theft or third-party liability losses.