What To Do When Your Car Is Damaged By A Flood

Raging floodwaters can cause all sorts of devastation. If your vehicle was caught up in the water, you know firsthand the intense level of damage a flood can cause. In the aftermath, you probably have many questions about your vehicle and where to begin in your recovery efforts. Learn what you can do with your flood-damaged vehicle to put your mind at ease. 

Salvage What You Can

If it's safe to do so, go inside your vehicle to assess the level of damage on the inside. If you're anything like most people, you probably have all sorts of items inside your car that are important and that you'd like to salvage if you can. Remove these items first.

However, if mold has formed in your vehicle, be especially careful. You want to wear a face mask and gloves before you remove any items. Additionally, you don't want to remove anything that you cannot clean entirely, as you will be unable to remove the mold. 

Contact the Lienholder

If a lending company still owns your vehicle, you need to contact them right away and notify them of the damage. Until the lienholder assesses the damage, you will still be required to make the payments, and any failure on your part to make the payments will affect your account and credit standing. 

The bank and the insurance company will likely send out a representative to inspect the vehicle and label it as damaged. If you own the car outright, you should be able to contact your insurance company to have the vehicle totaled directly. 

Arrange for Transport

If the vehicle is deemed undrivable or unsalvageable and the bank or insurance company will not remove the car for you, you don't have to keep the car on your property. You do have other options. While the vehicle may not be drivable, there may be some parts on the vehicle that can be reused. 

You can sell your vehicle to a service that pays money for junk cars. Once you make the decision, you should be able to contact the company, and they will arrange for transport of the vehicle from your home to the lot so that you don't have to worry about it. 

Knowing what to do with your car after a flood is one less worry you have to concern yourself with. Make sure you move quickly to get your damaged vehicle concerns resolved. 


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