“Car owners should file a claim as soon as possible,” Worters says. Take pictures or videos to show the extent of the damage, making sure to capture damage from downed trees or power lines as well as flooding.
It used to be that an insurance adjuster would also take photos of the vehicle, says Ellen Edmonds, a spokesperson for AAA. But these days, an insurance company may ask you to join in a Zoom or FaceTime call so that the adjuster can see the damage remotely. This helps speed up the process in the aftermath of a natural disaster, when adjusters are busy and traveling is difficult.
You may have a strong emotional connection to your car, but if it has been in a flood, it might be too expensive to repair. That’s because “when water enters your engine’s air intake, it can lead to all sorts of problems,” Ibbotson says.
In most cases, it’s determined that the cost of fixing a damaged engine, electrical and computer parts, and a car’s interior (for mold, moisture, or corrosion), not to mention possible long-term corrosion and electrical damage, is too high to warrant repairs.
