Hurricane Damage Auto Insurance Protection

Hurricane Damage Auto Insurance Protection. With hurricane season in September, many car owners will prepare themselves for hurricanes but forget about the risk to their vehicle. Hurricanes can cause a lot of damage to your vehicle, actually so bad that your car may even be totaled if your car is parked outdoors and in the path of the hurricane.

So the first thing you should do, if you think you are at high risk, is to check your policy. Carefully read your car insurance policy and make sure you have hurricane damage auto insurance protection. Take note of your coverage, your deductibles and what you should do if your vehicle is ever damaged during a hurricane and you have to file a car insurance claim. You can ask your insurance company for any questions and clarifications. It is best to know everything before disaster strikes.

What you need really is comprehensive car insurance coverage. This protects you from natural disaster damages, such as hurricanes. It also covers you for rain, flood, fire, tornado and other flying objects blown by the wind. If you feel you are really at a high risk of these types of claims then it is better to get yourself this type of coverage since it will cost you only few additional dollars on your premium but can save you a lot in case a hurricane does cause damage to your vehicle. You might also want to consider gap insurance and rental reimbursement. The gap insurance will pay the difference of what you still owe on your loan to who ever financed your vehicle in the event it is totaled. If your car just needs to be repaired, your rental reimbursement will cover the charges for the time that you were not able to use your car and had to use the rental.

Now if you live in an area where natural disasters regularly strike, you should not wait until the last minute to get the comprehensive, gap and reimbursement coverage. This is because your insurance company will not allow you to add the coverage if there is a threat of a disaster. And even if your insurance allows you to get the additional coverage, it will not be applied to your coverage since you purchased immediately before a disaster. In fact, according to the federal government a flood insurance policy will take effect thirty days after the date of your application. The same is for your homeowner insurance coverage and other policies, so it is best to get what you need before you actually need the coverage.

In the event of a hurricane warning make sure you park your car in a well protected area, such as higher grounds and or even indoors if possible. If it is not possible to park it indoors, park it away from poles and trees at least.