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Flood victims learning their cars may be totaled and insurance may not be enough to cover a replacement

Posted at 7:06 PM, May 03, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-03 19:06:09-04

DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) — As people on Hanover Street in Dearborn Heights clean up from the flood, they’re learning many of their cars are totaled out.

One family had two cars in the flood. Tony Nardone has lost 3 cars in 5 years.

Water can destroy the electronics, lubricated and mechanical parts.

Car insurance covers floods with comprehensive and deductibles, but people are still behind when it is over.

Nardone says his wife’s Ford is ten-years-old and, with 60,000 miles, would be worth about $4,000. But he won’t be able to replace it for that amount of money.

He says he can’t afford a car payment.

This a good lesson for all of us as we’ve heard about the scams of cars being taken to other regions and sold after a flood.

When you’re buying a used car run a history check on the VIN. Carfax is a good tool for this. It will tell you if the car has been registered in an area with a flood.

As we’ve seen this week, a flood can easily destroy a vehicle.