It is reported that compensation for vehicle damage encountered during heavy rain mainly involves comprehensive car insurance and water damage insurance. Comprehensive car insurance is the primary type of coverage for claims after heavy rain. According to insurance company agreements, as long as the engine has not been submerged, all repairs and part replacements fall under the protection of comprehensive car insurance.
Compensation is also available under comprehensive car insurance for vehicles submerged due to garage flooding or for those damaged by falling trees or rocks caused by heavy rain.
Regarding the much-discussed water damage insurance, industry insiders explain that its full name is Engine Water Ingress Loss Insurance. It is an additional property insurance specifically purchased for the vehicle’s engine. Claims are only applicable when the engine is damaged due to driving through waterlogged areas or being submerged.
The key conditions mainly include two aspects: first, water damage insurance only covers damage to the vehicle’s engine; damage to other parts caused by water ingress is compensated according to the terms of comprehensive car insurance. Second, only engine damage caused by submersion is covered; damage due to reasons such as broken belts or valve issues is not included.
However, water damage insurance does not cover all scenarios. If the engine stalls after being submerged and the driver forcibly restarts it, causing secondary damage, the insurance company will consider it human-induced and deny the claim.
Additionally, industry insiders remind that water damage insurance has a 20% absolute deductible. If the engine is damaged due to driving through water, the insurance company will compensate 80% of the actual loss, and the remaining 20% must be borne by the vehicle owner.
■ Escape Guide
During the heavy rain the day before yesterday, a man was trapped and died in a flooded SUV under the Guangqumen Bridge. In such a situation, what should drivers do to save themselves? What is the best tool to break the window if the door cannot be opened?
[Keyword: Vehicle Submersion]
Quickly Move Your Head to the Rear for Breathing
According to Liu Shi, a vehicle driving expert from the Beijing Police Academy, in many cars, when the electronic modules related to the engine are short-circuited by water, the locked doors cannot be opened. When the engine takes in water, the vehicle gradually loses power, the engine makes sputtering noises, and eventually stalls rather than stopping suddenly.
According to “Ping An Beijing,” when a vehicle is submerged, the front will sink first, and air will gather at the rear, gradually reducing in volume. Occupants can place their heads near the rear to breathe and wait until the water pressure inside and outside the vehicle equalizes before opening the door to exit.
[Keyword: Escape Tool]
Seat Headrest Is the Best Tool for Breaking Windows
If the door cannot be opened, using nearby objects to smash the window is the top priority.
Liu Shi says that fire extinguishers, while sturdy, are usually in the trunk, and drivers don’t have hard objects at hand. The easiest and most effective escape tool for breaking windows is actually the headrest on the car seat. The headrest is inserted into the seat and connected to two long steel rods underneath. The best method is to pull out the headrest and use the steel rods to forcefully strike the car window—even a petite female driver can break the window and escape.
[Keyword: Engine Submersion]
Do Not Speed Up to Create Waves
“Many people think that water entering the exhaust pipe means the engine is flooded, so they speed up, which is completely wrong,” Liu Shi says. The cause of engine submersion is at the front of the car, just 10 centimeters from the bumper. Therefore, when driving through water, do not accelerate to create waves, which artificially raises the water level and causes the engine to take in water. Maintain a speed of about 5 km/h. “Quicker through sand, slower through water.”
What should you do if your brakes become less responsive after driving through water? According to “Ping An Beijing,” shift into first gear, start moving, then place your right foot gently on the accelerator, applying gradual pressure to keep the car moving without stalling. At this point, the friction pads and discs (or hubs) are both working to provide braking force. The heat generated by friction evaporates the moisture and restores braking performance.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms are common in July and August. Urban waterlogging and geological disasters often occur unexpectedly. Where are mudslides likely to happen? What buildings should you avoid during thunderstorms? How should we protect ourselves from various meteorological disasters?
[Keyword: Urban Waterlogging]
Avoid Venturing onto Unfamiliar Roads
According to Zhang Mingying, a senior engineer at the Municipal Meteorological Bureau, when heavy rain occurs, runoff forms from higher ground to lower areas, creating deep pools of water. The main factor related to urban waterlogging is “rain intensity,” which refers to rainfall per unit time (e.g., one hour). When the rain intensity exceeds drainage capacity, water accumulates very quickly.
During heavy rain, drivers or pedestrians should not venture onto unfamiliar roads unless they are certain about road conditions, as deep water may hide hidden ditches or other hazards.
[Keyword: Geological Disasters]
Mountain Floods Often Occur in Mountain Streams
Geological disasters caused by heavy rainfall mainly include flash floods, landslides, and debris flows. Flash floods often occur in mountain streams, while three conditions are required to form a debris flow: first, there must be mountains, and the steeper the slope, the greater the potential energy of the debris flow; second, there must be loose materials on the mountain such as soil and rocks; third, there must be a large amount of rainwater that triggers the soil to slide down the slope, forming a debris flow.
During heavy rainfall, you should try to avoid relatively low-lying areas such as gullies and valleys, especially valley outlets at the foot of mountains with loose materials on the slopes, a certain height, and steep inclines.
[Keywords Thunderstorm Weather]
Seek shelter in low-lying areas when hiking in the wild
According to Song Haiyan, director of the Beijing Lightning Protection Device Safety Testing Center, lightning can be roughly divided into three types: cloud-to-cloud, intra-cloud, and cloud-to-ground. The type that poses the greatest disaster risk to humans is cloud-to-ground lightning, also known as ground strike or direct lightning, which is the discharge of electricity between clouds and the ground.
If you are outdoors during a thunderstorm, do not stand on rooftops or use your mobile phone, and stay away from isolated tall structures such as iron towers, chimneys, and billboards. When hiking in the wild, try to lower your elevation and seek shelter in low-lying areas.
During a thunderstorm, unplug all electrical appliances and network cables at home to prevent lightning from entering through the lines and causing damage to both devices and people; avoid taking showers, especially not using solar water heaters.