HELPDESK SPECIAL FLOODING CRISIS:Who pays for cars damaged by the recent flooding around the country, asks
MICHAEL MCALEER
THE FULL cost of the devastation caused by floods over the last week remains unclear and the priorities lie with clean water supply and shelter. However, when the necessities have been catered for and houses begin to be repaired, the next problem for many will be the damage to cars.
Many vehicles were submerged in flood waters where they were parked, while others stalled in the middle of flooded roads, their drivers wrongly judging the depth of the swells.
Water can cause major problems to something as complex as a car, with its many mechanical and electrical elements.
According to Martin Dunne, technical manager for Peugeot in Ireland, if you’ve driven through a flood the major risk is sucking water into the engine. “Water doesn’t compress so you are going to do very expensive damage to your engine. Even if you are lucky enough to avoid getting water into the engine you can still get water into the brakes and steering and end up losing the use of both.”
In terms of the potential damage to engines, Dunne says problems become apparent pretty quickly. “Particularly with a diesel engine that has sucked in water, you’re going to see quite a bit of smoke pretty soon after driving through the water, or the next time the engine is started cold. With petrols, if you damage the con-rods, sometimes it takes a little longer to become apparent.”
As for cars that have been parked up but submerged in flood waters, clearly they don’t escape from damage. “The engine hasn’t been running so that’s a positive point, but the electrics will still be soaked,” says Dunne. “Modern cars have quite a lot of electronics on board. Just imagine submerging your TV and consider the damage that would cause to it. In a car, submerged up to the bonnet for example, the electrical wiring and electronics are soaked and may corrode in due course.” A car’s electrics are normally protected against rain showers but are rarely watertight or resistant to total submersion.
In terms of repair, it really depends on the value of the car; when you get into replacing some of the electronic components the price really starts to rise. “In certain cases its simply not cost effective to repair.”
That’s where the insurance companies enter the fray. Michael Horan of the Irish Insurance Federation says if you’ve got comprehensive insurance, then this sort of damage should be covered under that policy. “If you believe your car has been damaged by flood water, the safest thing to do is to ring your insurance company promptly so someone can inspect the car.”
Some readers have e-mailed us fearing the insurance company won’t pay for the repairs as they drove into flood waters, misjudging the depth. Horan reassures us that the comprehensive cover still apples. “If you’ve driven through a flood then this is regarded as accidental damage and is covered under your comprehensive policy. Weve been here before with floods. It’s well-known that serious damage can be caused and the insurance firms are well able to cope with the claims.”
In terms of whether a car will be repaired or written-off, that decision rests with the normal policy procedures. “The motor engineer will make a judgement on whether the car is repairable: if not it will be written-off. That’s the way the policy works.”Will all the likely claims for flood damage to cars result in increases in the cost of motor premiums next year? According to Horan, it’s too early to say. “Motor claims costs went up last year by about 24 per cent. The biggest element of motor claims costs is actually personal injuries - that accounts for about 70 per cent of the total costs of claims. Accidental damage claims like those for floods account for a smaller part. Its too early to say what affect the floods will have on premiums next year.”
So what if you encounter a flooded road: what’s the advice? The first thing you need to know is the depth. It’s a difficult call, but you also need to know the location and height of the air intake for your engine. Next tip is to wait until any oncoming car has passed through before entering. That way you will be able to judge the depth and also avoid and swells or ripples that may wash into the engine air-intake.
“If you are sure the depth is below a dangerous level, then you should pass through it slowly, with a low gear and high revs. When you emerge from the water, make sure your brakes and steering are okay before you go on. In a safe area, test the brakes.
