Flood damaged cars

05th August 2007

Waterlogged vehicles could soon be flooding the market, industry experts warn. Owners unable or unwilling to claim on rain-damaged cars are already trying to sell them on to unsuspecting buyers, accor­ding to vehicle inspectors at the www.mycarcheck.com website.

The firm’s boss, Roger Powell, said: “We have had to warn some customers that the vehicle they are trying to buy has actually been written-off in recent storms.”

These could be luxury models on which owners are keen to dodge huge insurance excess payouts, or vehicles covered only by third party, fire and theft policies which are not protected against water damage, according to Powell. He explained: “The cars might look fine at first glance, because they have dried out. But safety equipment such as airbags and electronic systems could be compromised and should be professionally checked.”

Meanwhile, more than 33,000 motorists called the RAC for help last week as storms swept across the UK. But only a fraction actually made claims for water damage, says insurer Norwich Union.

The cover provider handles one motor policy in seven in the UK, yet received less than 1,000 claims for flooded cars during June.