Malaysia, in all of its grace and glory, is fortunately blessed to be geographically located in the “Pacific Rim of Fire” which is free from natural disasters that tend to happen in our neighboring countries according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department. However, Malaysia is highly prone to landslides and floods which always make waves around the country whenever the monsoon season is around.
If your car has been flooded as of the reading of this article, we’d like to offer our sincere condolences. Dealing with a flooded vehicle isn’t easy if you have ever gotten caught in one. To some, a car may be the pride and joy of your life and to others, a necessary mode of transport. When the flood waters finally subside, you have a few options on how to deal with a flooded car.
Read More: How I Saved My Honda Jazz From Extensive Flood Damage
Send It To The Mechanic For Repairs
Unless the car chassis is wrecked and written off as a total loss by your insurance company, you can still repair a flooded car. However, bear in mind the exact cost to repair your car varies from make and model, damage condition, parts required, and manpower costs depending on the workshop. Japanese, Korean and domestic branded cars are generally easier and cheaper to repair. In comparison with continental brands, their replacement parts cost much higher. Even if you can afford them, the additional mechanical complexity of continental cars will warrant multiple visits to the workshop. Pay attention to car workshops around you if you live in a flood-prone area. What type of cars are always left there sitting in a workshop?
Repairing a flooded car is really an up-to-you decision. If the car holds sentimental value to you, sure, it’s a good choice. However, bear in mind that when it’s time to sell the car, the resale value of it will go much lower than the market price due to having a history of mingling in flood waters.
The car chassis has plenty of nooks and crevices giving it a chance for water to accumulate inside. Even the most experienced workshop and car wash cannot dry it out completely and over time, the moisture will oxidize the car’s chassis causing rust to accumulate. The good news is this process will take a long time and is not a 100% guarantee that rust will even occur if the excessive heat has caused the moisture to be dried out. So unless the car holds a huge sentimental value, it is not really advisable as it can be a money pit once the rust starts to appear.
Read More: What is a Hydrolocked Car and Why It’s Important to Learn About It
Claim Insurance For your Flooded Car
For the uninitiated, special perils coverage is an additional add-on package to your insurance plan should you get yourself a flooded car or any natural disasters in general. Do contact your insurance provider and ask about the special perils package.
However, some may argue that car insurance is unnecessary because they believe they are a safe driver and live far away from natural disaster-prone areas. If the situation comes where your car does get caught in a flood, you won’t be getting the full value of your vehicle back. At most, you can only sell it to a used car dealer or a scrap yard for pennies. If your insurance provider has it, paying that extra for the special perils insurance goes a long way when another monsoon season is just around the corner.
Read More: How To Spot a Flooded Car for Sale Before It’s Too Late!
If you don’t know which insurance company provides one, here is a list of companies in Malaysia that offer them:
- Etiqa Malaysia
- Allianz Malaysia
- MSIG Malaysia
- AIA
- AIG Malaysia
Sell it For Scrap at a Junkyard or at a Salvage Auction
When the worst has finally arrived, you may be looking for a final resting place for your beloved ride. At best, you have two choices – a used car dealer or a scrapyard. Even a car that is written off as a total loss still has use even in death. Ever heard of organ donors? Just like harvesting organs among registered deceased human donors, there are prospective buyers that may be looking for valuable parts in your wrecked vehicles. Selling a refurbished car to a used car dealer will not even guarantee you’ll be getting your money back after dropping a small fortune at a workshop either.
All you need is to locate the nearest scrap dealer that takes in cars of all conditions especially flooded ones and be clear up front to them that your car is a flooded car. Ask them for an evaluation of your vehicle and a workshop foreman will assess the value of the car based on the weight, the value of the metal, and other usable parts. In addition, you would also need to provide proof of ownership and any relevant documentation that you own the car. Once an agreed sum is reached, which won’t be a lot given the car is a total write-off, your flooded car will be chopped up and stripped for parts.
In some cases, some companies provide a platform for others to bid on your flooded car and would pay handsomely depending on the make and model for parts or as a restoration project. Pickles Malaysia, for example, offers this service and the payout will be much higher than sending your flooded car to any run-off-the-mill scrap yard. One man’s trash is another’s treasure as they say.
Read More: 5 Ways to Get Rid of Your 20-Year-Old Car
Now that you know how to properly deal with your flooded car, we strongly urge you to dispose of your vehicle responsibly by not leaving it at the roadside once the flood waters subside. Selling your flooded car and making some pocket money back is the half-glass-full situation we can look forward to if your car is written off as a total loss. With that, we urge everyone to stay safe and get an insurance package for their car to brace for this year’s monsoon season!
