Tuesday, August 22, 8:05 a.m., when the last storm front began in Santiago. A car stopped on a well-known avenue in the municipality of Las Condes because a tree branch fell on it. The occupants, a fortunately uninjured adult and young woman, sat in the ditch, watching as their car was destroyed in fractions of a second.

Tuesday, August 22, in the morning in several cities in Chile. More than one person has seen how overflowing rivers washed away their personal or business vehicles, doing nothing to stop the force of nature.

Tuesday, August 22 in the afternoon, in various flooded streets and level crossings, some motorists are seen trying to cross them, some with luck and others without so much, they get stuck or simply “navigate”.

With the retreat of the frontal system and drier lands, it is time to analyze the consequences left by the rains. Although, of course, the most important thing is always human and the priority is to meet basic needs, it is also important to know what will happen to certain goods, such as vehicles, which have also suffered from this storm. central and southern part of the country.

For those who have insured their car, among the different coverages available in the insurance there is the point “Risks of Nature”, which applies to earthquakes, hail and also other natural disasters which could leave our vehicles with serious damage or, quite simply, unusable. .

The specific natural phenomena covered by most car insurance are: hail, volcanic eruptions, non-seismic marine flows, floods and avalanches or landslides. Some companies also offer them insurance policies against snowstorms, hurricanes or cyclones, which are very unusual phenomena in our country.

What should I do if an accident damages my car? We already know that most of them cover damage caused directly or indirectly by natural phenomena, and to activate it, its operation is, in general, similar to a claim caused by a road accident: the complaint is filed, damages are assessed and compensation is made. is paid according to that provided for in the policy. And this is where the confusion arises.

There are three main aspects and parameters that insurers take into account in the event of a “Natural Disaster”:

1. Unexpected. The natural phenomenon occurred unexpectedly, without having time to react.

2. Inevitable. The vehicle could not be protected in any way from the natural phenomenon.

3. Direct/indirect consequence. The vehicle suffered damage as a direct (hail broke the windows) or indirect (a flood caused a landslide that buried the car) consequence of the phenomenon.

Taking this into account, another question arises: total loss vs. Natural disasters and difference in coverage and benefits. Although they are complementary and both can request repairs or refunds, it is important to understand that there is a difference.

The Total Loss cover offers protection against any type of cause, including natural disasters, but always above a certain amount, agreed beforehand and which depends on the policy taken out. In other words, it is fixed at the price of the repair and covers all types of damage exceeding a certain percentage of the vehicle.

On the other hand, natural disaster cover is protection against a specific cause regardless of the amount of damage caused, whether it is minor damage or the total loss of the vehicle.

Thus, the hope of recovering part of the damage will always be there and the amount will depend on the policy taken out.

All of the above relates to natural phenomena. Now what if a branch falls on top of the car? Well, in this case, the insurance generally applies as a common and wild disaster and is not necessarily related to natural phenomena.

What is most recommended, at the end of the day, is to review the fine print and the coverage your vehicle has. While it’s true that this type of event doesn’t happen often, paying monthly could literally be insurance for your finances when you need it.