What does Auto Insurance cover in cases of catastrophes like in RS? Know more!

To the heavy rains in Rio Grande do Sul left a trail of destruction. Since the end of April, more than 1.4 million people have been affected, and this catastrophe unprecedented in the State is not expected to end. According to data released by Civil Defense, there have already been 95 deaths and more than 130 missing. Furthermore, many people suffered material losses. To the floodsThey even left thousands of cars submerged. And, in these cases, many people ask themselves: “What to do?”, “Does the insurance cover it?”, “How to proceed?”.

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To answer these and other questions, the Digital Cluster talked to some insurance companies. The main point is to understand that, for insurance to cover the damage, the insured must not face the flooded area. After all, if it is proven that the accident was caused on purpose, the company will deny payment of the indemnity.

Depends on the type of coverage

According to Bruno Saraiva, head of insurance at iHUB Investimentos, not all automobile insurance covers damage caused by rain and floods, only the so-called Comprehensive Insurance offers this type of roof. “The first thing that must be done is to analyze the insurance contract to understand the existing coverage contracted”.

For those who don't know, there are four types of car insurance available on the market. Are they:

• 1 - Personal Accident and Passenger Insurance: protects drivers and passengers in the event of accidents, offering coverage for medical expenses, disability or death;
• two - Auto Insurance: guarantees protection to the vehicle in situations such as theft, collision, damage due to dents, scratches and fires;
• 3 – Third Party Insurance: compensates for losses caused to other people and vehicles by the insured driver in the event of an accident;
• 4 – Comprehensive Insurance: covers a wide range of situations, including protection against natural disasters, such as floods, floods and falling trees, in addition to the benefits offered by other types of car insurance.

“It is also important to mention that the coverage needs to be activated within one year after the incident occurs”, warns Saraiva. Therefore, upon receiving notification of a claim, the insurer will carry out an examination to assess the circumstances of the claim.

There is already a company with a special plan for RS

Luiz Padial, director of Auto and Mass Insurance at Mapfre, states that the company has implemented an action plan to guarantee priority service to policyholders affected by the strong storms in Rio Grande do Sul. “The company organized an integrated strategy to deal with the increase in the volume of claims opening and assistance being activated.”

First, however, Mapfre's priority at this moment is to assist the authorities in rescuing and sheltering the affected people, to later begin the process of compensation for the policies contracted. The company emphasizes that, among the measures adopted, are priority service to affected customers, with agility in the claim adjustment process through photos and images, reinforcement of the team of providers in the region and dedicated communication channels to support policyholders .

Mapfre extended, free of charge, for ten days all insurance contracts expiring between the 1st and 10th of May. The action covers all customers in Rio Grande do Sul and applies to both the validity of policies and the due date of bills and payments. “We have also relaxed some reimbursement rules with full payment in accordance with the invoice issued, providing a quick solution to the needs of our policyholders”, warns Padial.

Furthermore, the company guarantees that the customer will be entitled to compensation due to losses caused to submerged vehicles (partial or total) in cases of floods or freshwater flooding, including those stored underground.

Only up to the middle of the wheel

When faced with flooding, the recommendation is to escape to a safe area. If this is not possible, the ideal is to try to cross only if the water does not exceed half the wheel. In this case, the tip is Maintain first gear and continue at low speed (and constant) so as not to form waves. Do not change gears and do not restart if the car stalls. In this way, the engine sucks in water and, in addition to the safety of the occupants, the financial loss can be high.

If transmission of the car in question is automatic, keep the lever in position “1” or “L”. For models that only have the “D” position, you must manually alternate it with “N”, in order to maintain the engine speed above 2,000 rpm.

Sometimes cleaning solves the problem

If the water only invades the floor of the car, you can opt for the cleaning service – a service included in some basic coverage, depending on the company. Even so, it will be necessary to disassemble the car's interior, removing parts such as the console and carpets for individual drying. Service available in specialized workshops. However, in cases where water reaches the panel, all care is necessary to dry the electronic modules. The more sophisticated the model, the more expensive the service will be.