Rains in UAE: Can car owners claim insurance for damages caused in waterlogged parking area?

Rains in UAE: Can car owners claim insurance for damages caused in waterlogged parking area?

Motorists should carefully read the terms and conditions of the policies to understand what is covered under flood and natural calamity

By Nasreen Abdulla, Waheed Abbas and SM Ayaz Zakir Published: Thu 26 Jan 2023, 1:22 PM Last updated: Thu 26 Jan 2023, 2:05 PM

Motorists in the UAE have been advised not to park their vehicles in waterlogged areas during heavy rains, as most insurance policies may not cover damages caused to the engine.

The UAE has seen heavy rains since Wednesday across different parts of the country; as a result, there were instances where vehicles were submerged in flooded and low-lying areas. This resulted in damages to vehicles, including the engine.

Moin ur Rehman, executive director, Unitrust Insurance Broker, said a motorist could file an insurance claim if he/she finds the vehicle fully or partially submerged after the rain, which resulted in damage to the vehicle and its engine.

Moin ur Rehman, executive director, Unitrust Insurance Broker

However, he added that if the owner parks his/her car in a waterlogged area and the vehicle is fully or partially submerged in rainwater, damaging the vehicle’s engine, then the motorist may not be in a position to get a claim from the insurance company.

“Be conscious wherever