When purchasing a car, many people don’t even consider determining whether or not a vehicle has flood damage.  This is particularly true for those that do not live in an area where flooding is usually a problem.  The reality is that, no matter where you live or where the car is coming from, it is important to research the history of the vehicle you are purchasing.  On the other end of the spectrum, it is important for you to know how to handle the situation if your vehicle is involved with a flood and what you should do if someone attempts to sell you a flood damaged vehicle without being truthful about its history.

Researching the History of Your Car

Before you purchase a used vehicle, it is important for you to perform a thorough search into the car’s history.  A simple way to accomplish this is to obtain a CARFAX Vehicle History Report, which you can get by visiting the company’s website and inputting the 17-character vehicle identification number (VIN) associated with the vehicle you are thinking about buying.  You can obtain this number from the vehicle’s title or from the dashboard of the vehicle.

You can specifically research whether or not your vehicle was involved in Hurricanes Rita, Katrina or Wilma by visiting the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s website.  Here, you will find a list of vehicles that have been involved in claims that has been compiled by the National Insurance Crime Bureau and as well as by auto insurance companies.

If you have reason to believe that a dealer is trying to sell a car that has been damaged by a flood as a car that is in good condition, you should contact your local law enforcement agency and report the dealer.  You should also contact the National Insurance Crime Bureau at 1-800-TEL-NICB.

Your Car and Flooding

If your car happens to be involved in a flood, it is important for you to contact your auto insurance company immediately.  When contacting your company, you will need to list all of the items that were damaged in the flood as well as where the flood you were involved in was located.  After gathering all of the necessary information, your insurance company will likely have your vehicle towed so it can be evaluated.  If you have comprehensive insurance coverage on your vehicle, it should be protected against damage caused by flooding.