Monsoons bring a lot of respite from the scorching summer heat. A drive to the nearest hill station or waterfalls to take a dip in the cool natural pools is customary for many Indian families or groups of friends. While the monsoon season brings a lot to look forward to, it also brings a lot of uncertainty.
Indian monsoons – A bad news for vehicles
Motor vehicles often bear the brunt of heavy rainfall and flooding. Scenes of vehicles almost submerged in water are a common sight in cities like Delhi and Mumbai after moderate to heavy rains. Monsoon is also a time of the year when there is a rise in accidents due to potholes and damaged roads, and general low visibility on roads. Moreover, our cars and bikes are also exposed to accidental fall of trees or fall of electric-poles leading to heavy damages to the vehicles and big repair bills for us.
While water-logging and floods have become very common, these are not very good friends of our beloved vehicles. In fact, water seepage can cause a “hydrolock”, which occurs when water enters the engine compartment and the pistons don’t function as they should. The cost to repair hydrolocked engines is really high and in some cases, the engines can become completely defunct. Flooding of the car can not only destroy the electrical components but can also cause a short circuit that could result in the vehicle catching fire.
And then, there is also a chance your vehicle gets swallowed by a sinkhole because someone covered up a well to create a parking spot, as recently happened in Mumbai. If you ever face such an unfortunate situation, your insurance would cover the cost of repair if the car is pulled out successfully and remains in working condition, even though damaged. If the car is not recovered, or is recovered but cannot be repaired, you can also file a claim for total loss.
Considering all of the above scenarios, it becomes clear that it is important to take special care of our vehicles, and here are some tips to do exactly that.
Secure a good parking space
To ensure that your vehicle is safe during the monsoons, or any extreme weather event, it is a good idea to avoid parking under trees or poles. You should also avoid parking in areas known to get water-logged. If your vehicle is parked in an area that is waterlogged already, Do NOT try to start the vehicle. Trying to start the vehicle can result in irreparable damage to the engine. It’s best to tow your vehicle to the service station or call the customer support of your insurance company.
Drive safely and cautiously
As a general rule, you should avoid driving in flooded areas as it can lead to major damage to your vehicle. You can also get stuck if the water enters the engine and the car turns off in the middle of the water. If a flooding situation does arise, it is best to keep moving at a steady speed. Do not accelerate or brake suddenly. Also, drive on lower gears, probably the 1st and 2nd and on higher revs. If the engine stalls while driving in such a situation, Do NOT try to start it again.
Get adequate insurance
We cannot stress this enough, having your vehicle covered by a comprehensive insurance plan is extremely important. Since the law in the country only mandates having third-party insurance, many people make the mistake of skipping the comprehensive coverage to save some money. Because their intention is only to comply with the law, they are left stuck with an inadequate policy that only covers damage to other vehicles and persons in case of an accident. In case of damage to own vehicle, due to an accident or monsoon related damages, such a policy provides no financial cover.
So, it is important that you buy a comprehensive cover to get complete protection for your vehicle. Comprehensive car insurance provides an all-round cover to your vehicle including damage caused by natural disasters like floods, cyclones, storms, landslides and earthquakes. Such a policy will also cover losses due to fire, accidental damage and theft.
While you can successfully avoid major damages by following the driving and parking tips shared above, insurance will help you cover the expenses that might incur in that unfortunate case where your vehicle is a victim of the harsh monsoons.
Where to get a good insurance policy from?
While getting a comprehensive plan is important, it is equally important to choose the right insurance partner that is reliable, provides quick settlements, offers cashless claims and provides round the clock assistance. The Finserv MARKETS platform has some of the best plans available in the market from leading service providers like Bajaj Allianz General Insurance and Acko.
At Finserv MARKETS, the available policies can also be customised as per your needs through add-on features like a roadside assistance package that will ensure that help will just be a phone call away if you are stranded due to a stalled vehicle or an accident. With the car insurance calculator available on Finserv MARKETS, getting a quote for your customised policy is simple and quick. You just need to enter some of the basic details of your vehicle and with a few clicks, you will have your insurance quote.
It is always better to be safe than sorry, so get your vehicles insured with the right policy that provides full coverage. A comprehensive policy with the right riders can help you customise it to suit your needs. And you can do the entire process online right from the comfort of your home. From comparing policies to selecting the right one, from calculating the premium to making the payment, and from getting the insurance policy delivered to your email to even filing the claim — you can do everything online through Finserv MARKETS. So get your vehicle secured and insured today!
Image Credits: Finserv MARKETS
Reference:
https://e360.yale.edu/features/as-the-monsoon-and-climate-shift-india-faces-worsening-floods
New studies show that extreme precipitation events are on the rise in large parts of India, especially multi-day deluges that lead to large-scale floods.
https://www.indiatoday.in/india-today-insight/story/why-cyclones-are-picking-up-on-india-s-west-coast-1804558-2021-05-19