Drivers must stop on highways if faced with flooding or risk voiding insurance

Drivers who encounter flooding on roads, including highways, must stop and avoid driving through water, or risk voiding their insurance coverage, according to Finnish insurer Lähitapiola.

Tapani Alaviiri, director of group business management at Lähitapiola, stated that driving through water-covered roads is generally not covered by insurance, whether the vehicle is electric or combustion-engine. If water is visibly present on the road and the driver deliberately proceeds, no damage to the car will be compensated.

Drivers are expected to find an alternative, dry route. On highways, Alaviiri advises pulling over to the roadside, turning on hazard lights, and waiting for emergency services if heavy rain causes sudden flooding.

Parked cars, however, are treated differently. If a parked car is unexpectedly caught in floodwater, insurance typically covers the damage. But under no circumstances should the car be started after being submerged.

Alaviiri emphasizes that the vehicle must first be towed from the parking area and a damage report filed. Only then can the extent of the damage and potential compensation be assessed. Starting the engine after flooding risks further damage, as water may have entered the engine.

There are no known differences between electric and combustion-engine vehicles in terms of flood damage, Alaviiri noted.