Cars are gradually becoming one of the popular means of transportation in big cities. And more and more car owners have purchased insurance to protect their "valuable friend" against unforeseen risks. However, many of them still do not fully understand the concept and differences between inundated with water and engine hydrolock when participating in vehicle insurance, leading to disputes with insurance agencies when their car are unfortunately flooded… The following article will provide you with detailed information on the relevant concepts and thereby better understanding on insurance benefits when any related risks occur.
 

street and is inundated by force majeure due to natural disasters (including storms, floods, lightning strikes, thunderstorms, earthquakes, tsunamis, ...) lead to damage. In this case, most are covered by insurance.
 

Engine hydrolock is a case where the vehicle is damaged when entering a flooded area, there are 2 cases causing engine hydrolock:

• Case 1: The vehicle started the engine and ran into a flooded area ➡️ Water enters the engine causing engine damage.

In this case, the vehicle owner can be compensated up to 100% of the repair cost if this clause is included in the contract. However, many insurance companies only compensate about 70-80% with the reason that the customer must have a responsibility to consider for themselves whether to go into the flooded area or not.

Case 2: The vehicle is starting and running into the flooded area ➡️  The vehicle is turned off ➡️  The driver intentionally starts the vehicle ➡️  Water enters the engine causing the engine to be damaged. In this case, the insurance refuses to pay.
 

According to the Civil Code, it is stipulated: “When an insured event occurs, the insurance buyer or the insured must immediately notify the insurance company and take all necessary measures to prevent and limit damages".
 

2. The skills you need to drive through a flooded area:
 

When driving in flooded conditions you need special skills to respond to situations, minimize damage and avoid delaying your plans. Here are some tips for drivers to feel secure when going through flooded areas:
 

    - Safety warning water level is below 25cm, do not cross the center of the wheel, above that level you should not pass.

   - When forced to go through flooded areas, it is advisable to remove the engine air filter to get air directly from the engine compartment.

   - When going through flooded areas, you should turn off the air conditioner switch (AC button), drive in 1st gear, run at a steady speed, drive calmly.

   - Avoid sudden acceleration because that will cause water to overflow through the grille, and into the suction pipe

   - When you have gone through the flood, you need to go a bit further, then apply the brake to remove the water on the brake disc. Then go down to check the engine, under the vehicle.

   - If the vehicle is suddenly turned off in the middle of the flood, you absolutely do not try to start it again, so pull out the electric key, push the vehicle to a high position and immediately call for help.

  - If possible, use high-rise vehicles when going through flooded areas to minimize the above risks.
 

3. Benefits of motor insurance:
 

 

If you are living in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City in the rainy season, flooding often happens due to weak drainage system. Although vehicle owners have been equipped with knowledge to prevent engine hydrolock damage, but it is not possible to completely avoid unexpected incidents. Therefore, motor insurance is the optimal solution, minimizing damage as well as repair costs when incidents occur. In addition, you SHOULD buy motor insurance because it offers many benefits such as:

    - The coverage on engine hydrolock and water damage are available subject to clients’ demand.
   - Get compensated, paid or repaired up to 70-80% in case of going through flooded areas, the vehicle stalls and does not restart.

    - Get the support of the rescue team, helping to fix the problem quickly, helping to reduce the damage to the minimum.

You could find further information on motor insurance provided by TMIV via the link.