Environmental sanitation garbage truck factory insurance is not omnipotent, and car maintenance after heavy rain needs to pay attention to service usage.

In the summer of 2011, if you put Beijing, Wuhan, and Chengdu together, the most trendy event that many people might think of would be "viewing the sea." Phrases like "Love him (her), take him (her) to Beijing to view the sea" and "Wuhan National Aquarium" were jokes made by everyone about urban flooding caused by heavy rain. But one wonders how those car owners felt when they saw their cars submerged in a vast expanse of water.

After the floodwaters receded and the onlookers dispersed, what car owners probably thought of first was insurance claims, much like purchasing a sanitation garbage truck and checking its model number first. However, in reality, can all cars that have been submerged smoothly file for insurance?

Insurance is not omnipotent

Most car owners understand that as long as they have full coverage, water damage to their cars will definitely be compensated. However, the reality isn't so straightforward. Mr. Sun from Tianjin experienced such a situation last year. Last summer, while driving through water, his vehicle stalled mid-way due to avoiding pedestrians. After stalling, he chose to restart the engine. Mr. Sun frankly admitted, "Normally, I shouldn’t have restarted it, but there was an emergency, so I didn’t think too much."

The result was that starting the engine with water in the cylinders caused a connecting rod to break. Mr. Sun originally thought that with full coverage, he should be able to get compensation from the insurance company. In the end, the insurance company only paid a few hundred yuan for "interior cleaning fees," stating that the engine was not covered by the claim.

The reason given by the insurance company was that "in the customer's insured items, restarting after water ingress is considered a man-made failure and is not within the scope of coverage." Mr. Sun consulted several insurance companies and received similar answers. Regarding this outcome, Mr. Sun said he could only accept it.

Mr. Sun’s car that got flooded last year is no longer used by him. Although over the course of a year, the car traveled normally for more than 40,000 kilometers after being repaired, and there was nothing unusual with the engine, Mr. Sun still described it: "It's like a person who has had heart bypass surgery; even though they're alive, psychologically, they feel different. No one wants water in their engine, just as no one wants heart surgery."

Better safe than sorry

After experiencing water entering his engine, Mr. Sun went to the insurance company to inquire if there was any insurance that could cover losses caused by water entering the engine. He learned that there is a type called "Engine Special Loss Insurance" which can compensate for engine damage. However, very few insurance companies offer this kind of insurance, or even if they do, the terms usually specify that any damage caused by restarting the engine after water ingress is not covered by the insurance.

As for "Engine Special Loss Insurance," Mr. Sun stated that he would definitely not consider or purchase it. "If I encounter water again, I won't drive through it." Many people share the same idea as Mr. Sun. Since 2008, when Wuxi PICC Property established this type of insurance, the insured rate has only been 1%.

Senior automobile insurance expert Ye Chuanyong repeatedly emphasized that cars that have been soaked should never attempt to restart the engine again. "Floods are actually already included in normal insurance coverage. Any damage caused by floods will be unconditionally compensated by the insurance company." For damages caused by restarting the engine after water enters, the insurance company refuses to compensate. Ye Chuanyong explained: "As long as the engine remains in water without being started, it certainly won't be damaged. However, starting the engine after water enters will definitely cause damage. In such cases, we will all attribute it to improper use by the owner, resulting in man-made damage."

The reason why insurance companies are so strict in determining this is mainly because engine loss assessments "are easy to fake." To avoid controversy, it is stipulated that any engine that is restarted after water enters will be considered secondary damage and is not covered by insurance. Ye Chuanyong said: "The assessment of engine damage carries certain moral risks. It's similar to scratch insurance. The car is parked there, and it could possibly be intentionally scratched by passersby, which is something insurance companies are very reluctant to see." Due to these moral risks, "Engine Special Loss Insurance" can only be found in the services of a few insurance companies.

Aftermath of "soaking"

The most common method is to file a claim. The general process is: immediately report to the insurance company to take photos, workshop technical maintenance handling (damage assessment), damage assessment completed, car owner receives the car (depending on weather and damage conditions, the time required for damage assessment is a few days to over a month), insurance company compensates. As long as water ingress is detected, immediately contact the insurance company for handling, and generally, there won't be any issues.

Another method, often overlooked by car owners, is to claim compensation from property management. If parking fees have been paid to the property management company, a legal relationship of compensated custody is formed. At this point, as the car custodian, the property management company has the obligation to forecast weather changes, anticipate potential damage, notify promptly, and take necessary and reasonable measures to prevent risks, manage them, and rescue afterward.

If the property management company neglects prevention and fails to fulfill necessary attention or management duties, leading to vehicle damage, according to Article 374 of China's Contract Law, the property management company should bear liability for compensation to the car owner. If the drainage system cannot meet the drainage needs from the outset, causing underground garages to flood and damaging vehicles, then for car owners who have purchased underground parking spaces, they can request developers to bear certain compensation responsibilities based on relevant laws. Car owners can choose the party to claim compensation from based on their actual situation, and after the insurance company compensates the car owner, it gains the right to pursue compensation from the property management company.

Car Water Ingress Self-Help Tips

Case One:

If a vehicle stalls due to water ingress during the crossing of water, immediately turn off the ignition switch and do not attempt to restart the engine. Move the vehicle to a safe location, preferably with the front higher than the rear, allowing water to flow out of the exhaust pipe and preventing damage to the three-way catalytic converter and muffler.

Case Two:

After evaluation, if water enters the engine, remove the spark plugs and cut off the fuel supply system and ignition system, then run the engine with the motor to expel water inside the engine. Check the condition of the fluids in each system of the vehicle, and replace them if foam or turbidity appears. After inspection, use compressed air to clear electrical connections in the engine compartment to prevent corrosion caused by water accumulation at connection points.

Case Three:

If water enters the cabin during the crossing, the main repair process involves clearing the water inside the cabin. There are several sealed rubber plugs under the vehicle chassis. Opening these plugs can drain water from the cabin. However, since the floor mat inside the car absorbs water strongly, the floor mat should be removed and placed in a spacious space to facilitate evaporation of the water. After reinstallation, pay attention to turning on the air conditioning and adjusting the vehicle circulation switch to internal circulation, allowing the moisture inside the cabin to be expelled through the air conditioning system. This is a very quick way to dehumidify in summer.

Case Four:

Components of the chassis can easily deteriorate during water crossings, especially involving steering and transmission systems. For example, Toyota's Land Cruiser clearly requires lubrication of the chassis components after water crossings in its repair manual. Additionally, carefully listen for abnormal sounds from the chassis during road tests, or disassemble and inspect the chassis.