Your car was caught in the flash flood … now what?:
Mitigating steps you can take to reduce further damage to your flooded vehicle.
News of cars stranded on the N2 in flash flood waters to their bonnets, made international headlines. Many South Africans will start the process of recovering their flooded vehicles and contacting their insurance companies. But, says AutoTrader CEO George Mienie, there are mitigating steps people can take to protect their cars from further damage, or protracted insurance claim processes.
- Take photos on location of as much of the damage as possible. Look for the highest water levels within your flooded vehicle. You’ll find this on the side of the car or sometimes on the interior. If your car was completely submerged, take a photo of a marker, like a tree or a sign post as a reference point.
- Preferably do not start the car before it has been properly checked by a mechanic. You could create more unnecessary damage.
- If possible disconnect the battery to disarm the electrical system.
- In the case of your car being towed, reduce further damage by taking the windows down to allow the car to dry out.
“Remember the vehicle is always secondary to your safely regardless of how important your car is to you,” says Mienie. “Wait until the water has receded or until the structural damage has been shored up before moving it”. “Ultimately it’s best to wait for a qualified person to perform the job of recovering your vehicle” he concludes.
CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.
Click HERE to submit your Durban / Kwazulu-Natal Press Release.
