What to do if your car has flood damage

SHREVEPORT, La. - Following Saturday's storm, severe flooding took over parts of the ArkLaTex -- specifically in the Shreveport-Bossier area.

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With many cars left underwater, here are some tips from insurance companies such as State Farm and Progressive that can provide a guide on what to do next.

Does car insurance cover flood damage?

If your car is damaged or ruined due to flooding, your auto policy's comprehensive coverage may pay to repair or replace your vehicle, minus your deductible. Comprehensive can cover a variety of water damage, including flooding, heaving rains, and hailstorms.

Vehicle flood damage checklist

Is a flood damaged car repairable?

What's wrong with a flood damaged car depends on the severity of the flooding. Minor flooding that's quickly drained can often be repaired, but vehicles that are severely flooded or sit in water for days are often considered unrepairable by insurance companies, which leads to the car being declared a total loss.

Flooded cars are often declared a total loss because repairing water damage is complicated and costly. A total loss means the insurance company has determined that the damage cannot be repaired safely, or the cost to repair the vehicle is more than the value of the car.

What are common problems with flooded cars?

A flood damaged car comes with a variety of problems, including foul odors, rust, odd noises, engine smoke, and electronic damage.

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