Does car insurance cover flood damage?

From storm surges that flood waterfront communities after a hurricane to rivers that overflow from record-breaking summer downpours, flood damage to your car may be on your mind. Good news — if you’ve got comprehensive insurance on your car, you’re covered. Comprehensive coverage is designed to protect your car from external events that are out of your control. Which means it can help cover against flooding damage to your car.

Let’s take a closer look at how a properly built car insurance policy may help you.

Is my car covered for flood damage?

With the right protection in place, recovering from flood damage is possible. Knowing which coverages provide flood protection may enable you to build a policy that helps protect you from unexpected losses.

Yes, flood damage may be covered with a comprehensive auto policy in place. However, you may also need other coverages to help manage a total loss or rental car payments if a flood leaves you without a functioning vehicle.

Does full coverage protect your car from flood damage? Full coverage is typically a suite of auto coverages which usually includes comprehensive car insurance. It’s that arm of your policy where you may find flood coverage.

Take a look at our recommended flood damage coverages:

Comprehensive coverage

At its simplest, comprehensive car insurance may help cover damage to your car caused by external events that are out of your control. It may help to pay for damage caused by accidents that don't involve colliding with another vehicle or object. It typically applies if your car needs to be repaired or replaced after a storm rolls through and your car has been flooded. Here are a few common types of weather events that may be covered under a comprehensive auto policy:

Windstorms and tornados. High winds can send debris flying through the air. And if your car is damaged during a covered wind event, comprehensive car insurance typically covers these damages.

Falling objects. Storms can unseat fixed items on roofs and upend trees. If your car is damaged by a falling object, your comprehensive insurance may help cover the cost of repairs.

Hail. If you have comprehensive coverage in your auto insurance policy, it typically helps pay for hail damage to your vehicle.

Flood. Whether the river is on the rise, or a storm surge pushes tidal waters up your driveway, comprehensive coverage may protect your car if it’s damaged by a flood.

Lightning. If lightning hits a tree during a storm and the tree damages your car, you may be covered.

Gap insurance coverage

In cases where your car is declared a total loss, and you owe more on it than it’s worth, this coverage may help cover that monetary difference. For instance, if a summer storm unleashes hail where you live and totals your car, having this coverage may be a real lifesaver. It’s coverage that helps to pay for the difference when you owe more on your car than it’s worth.

Rental reimbursement coverage

Storms can impact more than just your car and your neighborhood. As vehicles line up for repairs in the aftermath of a catastrophic weather event, auto/body shops can be booked for days before they’ll have time to get around to repairing your car. Our rental car reimbursement coverage may help you pay for the expenses of renting a car while your car is in the shop. You may also be covered for expenses like ride-sharing services, taxis and other forms of public transportation.

Does liability auto insurance cover flood damage?

No, liability car insurance won’t cover flood damage. This is coverage that protects you if you’re in an at-fault accident. It may help cover costs for injuries and damages you cause to other people or their property.

How to file an insurance claim for a flooded car

After your car’s been damaged by a flood, you’ll want to file a flooded car claim as soon as possible.

Filing a claim is easy with American Family Insurance. Log into My Account or use the MyAmFam app to report a claim. By initiating your claim with one of these options, you'll also get the following benefits:

• Filing anywhere, any time
• Tracking the status of your claim
• Viewing your insurance information in one convenient location 

You can also call us at 1-800-MYAMFAM (1-800-692-6326) to speak directly with a claims representative or contact your American Family Insurance agent.

Is flood damage to your car repairable?

Depending on the extent of the damage to your car, minor flood damage may be repairable. But with moisture comes mold — and that can be very difficult to remove or remediate from a car. Dampness can lead to mildew and rust, and that can really impact your car and its interior over time. Wiring, electrical circuitry and other sensitive instruments can be destroyed or damaged in hard-to-reach places, too.

After filing a flood claim, your insurance adjuster will work with the repair shop to get an accurate picture of flood damage to your car. They’ll then work with you and the insurance you’ve got in place and build a plan going forward.

How to protect your car from flood damage

Of course, staying ahead of severe weather is your first order of business. But it’s also smart to use early warning apps and other systems to help steer clear of that high water. Take a look at our advice on protecting your car from the damage floods can bring:

Download a weather app. User-friendly apps that reference multiple weather sources are key for getting the forecast right and can make a big difference when the wind begins to howl. Consider apps like Dark Sky and Carrot Weather for early warning and real-time flood warning maps.

Have a plan. As soon as you learn that your area is under a flood watch or even a flood warning, take action quickly. Relocate your car to a protected upper floor of a local parking garage or move it to a higher elevation that’s less prone to flooding.

Get the flood coverage your car needs

Having the right protections in place before a disaster strikes helps deliver peace of mind when you need it most. Contact your American Family Insurance agent and request a quote on our flood-related coverages: comprehensive, gap and rental reimbursement insurance. 

This article may include information that represents a brief description of coverages, but this is not part of your policy, and is not a promise or guarantee of coverage. If there is any conflict between this information and your policy, the provisions of the policy will prevail. Insurance policy terms and conditions may apply. Exclusions may apply to policies, endorsements, or riders. Coverage may vary by state and may be subject to change. Some products are not available in every state. Please read your policy and contact your agent for assistance.