Your rights if your car has been flood-damaged
We tell you your rights if your car was damaged by the flood.
We tell you your rights if your car was damaged by the flood.
If your vehicle has been water damaged
Drying out your vehicle doesn’t make it safe to drive. There’s a likelihood of damage to the vehicle’s electronic and mechanical safety systems making it unfit for the road.
Waka Kotahi, NZTA, strongly encourages people not to attempt to fix vehicles themselves, drive or on-sell a water-damaged vehicle.
You should contact your insurance company who will arrange for your vehicle to be assessed and will work with you to repair the vehicle or write it off and settle your claim.
If the vehicle is written off, it is deregistered, and the Motor Vehicle Register is updated with the reason for the write-off, then disposed of through damaged vehicle auctions. You can find more information on the Insurance Council of New Zealand website.
If your car has been written off, your insurer will then begin to process your settlement. However, the time it takes to receive the money owed from the settlement can vary, depending on the circumstances of the write-off and whether you dispute the write-off decision.
You can also raise a dispute about the settlement amount, if you believe the car is worth more than your insurer is offering, which can slow down the process.
If your vehicle is not insured, it’s recommended you have a qualified automotive technician complete a thorough inspection of the vehicle. They may recommend you take it to a specialist repair certifier.
RepairCert NZ has more guidance on how to deal with water-damaged vehicles here.
Got a problem with a faulty product, received shoddy service or been misled by a retailer? Our expert advisers can provide clear, practical advice that you can trust.
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