A. It is important to properly dry out your
vehicle to prevent mold and mildew.
There are many professional companies
that specialize in cleaning out wet
vehicles. Your insurance company may
choose to pay for a cleaning before
looking to see if there is any flood
damage that needs to be repaired.
Q. WILL MY INSURANCE COVER IT?
800-492-6116 Toll-free
insurance.maryland.gov
A. Flooding is covered by comprehensive
coverage (sometimes referred to as Other
than Collision coverage). You can find out
if you have this coverage by checking your
policy’s declarations page. If you don’t
have your policy handy, contact your agent
or insurance company.
Q. CAN I DRY IT OUT?
Q. HOW DO I FILE A CLAIM?
A. Call your insurance agent or
insurance company as soon as you
can. Your policy or insurance card
should have the number to call. It is
important to file your claim as soon as
you can. Take photographs or video of
the damage and take all necessary
steps to prevent mold or mildew from
developing in your car.
INSURANCE FAQs
MY CAR WAS FLOODED
Q. WILL MY CAR BE TOTALED?
A. The insurance company will look at
how much your car is worth versus how
much the repairs will cost. Per Maryland
law, your insurance company has to total
your vehicle if the repairs are more than
75% of how much your car is worth. It's
important to know that your insurance
company is allowed to make a safety or
financial decision to total your car, even if
the repairs are less than 75% of the value.
Here are answers to some common questions.
INSURE YOUR RISK
Q. WHAT IF I THINK MY CAR IS
WORTH MORE?
A. If you think your car is worth more than
what the insurance company decided, you
can negotiate your settlement with them.
It's important to know that you must
provide proof of how you came up with
your valuation. You can do this by getting
quotes from car dealers or viewing prices
and ads online for similar vehicles.
Q. CAN I FIX IT?
A. If you want to keep your car, let the
insurance company know. The
insurance company will deduct the
salvage value they could have gotten
from your car from your settlement.
Maryland requires an inspection of your
vehicle by the State Police to make sure
it's safe to drive. The Motor Vehicle
Administration will issue a new title
that is branded, which means it will
show your car is a total loss. It's
important to know that if you plan to
keep your car, your insurance company
may not let you keep comprehensive
and collision coverage on your policy.
INSURANCE FAQS - MY CAR WAS FLOODED
Q. WHAT IF I OWE MORE THAN THE
SETTLEMENT?
A. If you have a gap policy or endorsement,
it will pay the difference between what you
owe and the settlement amount. If you
don’t have gap coverage, you’ll be
responsible for paying off the remainder of
the loan.
Q. WHAT IF MY CAR FLOATED
AWAY?
A. Contact the police department to see if
your car has been recovered.
Q. HOW DO I GET A COPY OF THE
TITLE?
A. If you have misplaced your title, you
can request a copy from the Motor
Vehicle Administration online or in
person. Remember, if you have a loan
on your car, your lender will have a
Security Interest Filing that your
insurance company will need to
process your total loss claim.
This consumer guide should be used for educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal advice or opinions regarding coverage under a specific policy or
contract; nor should it be construed as an endorsement of any product, service, person, or organization mentioned in this guide. Please note that policy terms vary
based on the particular insurer and you should contact your insurer or insurance producer (agent or broker) for more information. This publication has been produced
by the Maryland Insurance Administration (MIA) to provide consumers with general information about insurance-related issues and/or state programs and services.
This publication may contain copyrighted material which was used with permission of the copyright owner. Publication herein does not authorize any use or
appropriation of such copyrighted material without consent of the owner. All publications issued by the MIA are available free of charge on the MIA’s website or by
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and no fee is assessed for the publication or duplication thereof. The MIA’s name and contact information must remain clearly visible, and no other name, including
that of the insurer or insurance producer reproducing the publication, may appear anywhere in the reproduction. Partial reproductions are not permitted without the
prior written consent of the MIA. People with disabilities may request this document in an alternative format. Requests should be submitted in writing to the Chief,
Communications and Public Engagement at the following address: Maryland Insurance Administration, 200 St. Paul Place, Suite 2700, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.
