Does Insurance Cover Vehicle Damage Caused by Typhoons? How to Claim for Property Damage?
TyphoonSays·防御问答 · Impact of life · 更新 at 2026-07-20
Typhoons are often accompanied by strong winds and heavy rain, which not only threaten personal safety but also easily cause property damage to vehicles and houses. Many residents feel confused about post-disaster claims. The following outlines key points for claims processing to help you respond calmly after a disaster.
Vehicle Damage: How Does Auto Insurance Cover It?
If a vehicle is smashed, submerged, or damaged by a typhoon, compensation mainly relies on the "Vehicle Damage Insurance" within commercial auto insurance. Since the comprehensive reform of auto insurance in 2020, the coverage of Vehicle Damage Insurance has been significantly expanded, typically covering vehicle losses caused by natural disasters (such as typhoons, rainstorms, and floods).
- Falling Objects: If a vehicle is hit by trees, billboards, or building debris knocked down by typhoon winds, it falls within the scope of Vehicle Damage Insurance. Be sure to keep photos or videos of the scene, record the damaged parts and surrounding environment, and report the case promptly.
- Water Submersion While Driving or Parked: If a vehicle is soaked while stationary, insurance companies usually cover the full repair costs. However, note that if the engine stalls in water and is forcibly restarted, causing water intake and engine damage, this loss is often considered human-aggravated damage, and the insurer may refuse compensation. Therefore, remember: "If the engine stalls in water, do not restart it."
- Unidentified Third Party: If a vehicle is damaged by an unknown object and the responsible party cannot be found, current Vehicle Damage Insurance typically covers this, eliminating the need to separately purchase the "Special Clause for Unidentified Third Party."
It is recommended that car owners park their vehicles in indoor parking lots or open areas at higher elevations with no risk of falling objects before typhoon warnings are issued.
House Damage: Home Insurance and Property Management Liability
Claims for house damage are relatively complex, depending mainly on the damaged area, the cause, and whether relevant insurance has been purchased.
- Home Property Insurance: If you have purchased home property insurance in advance, damage such as broken windows, indoor water ingress, and damaged furniture or appliances caused by typhoons is usually covered. When claiming, you need to provide proof of purchase, a list of losses, and photographic/video evidence of the scene. Please note that some policies may have compensation limits or exclusions for valuable items such as cash and jewelry, so carefully review the contract.
- Common Areas and Exterior Wall Detachment: If typhoon winds cause exterior wall tiles to fall off, common windows to break, or roofs to leak in a residential community, this falls under the maintenance scope of property management. The property management company should use the public maintenance fund or carry out repairs according to the property service contract. If owners' private property is damaged due to the property management company's failure to fulfill its management obligations (such as failing to reinforce public facilities in time), owners can claim compensation from the property management company.
- Developer Warranty Period: For new homes, if construction quality problems exposed by typhoons (such as severe leakage or structural cracks) occur within the warranty period, the developer is responsible for repair and compensation.
Disaster Prevention Tips and Information Inquiry
Before a typhoon arrives, in addition to checking insurance policies, physical protection measures should be taken. Reinforcing doors and windows, clearing clutter from balconies, and stockpiling emergency supplies are key to reducing losses. Regarding school and work suspensions during typhoons, standards may vary by location; please refer to announcements from local governments. Keep an eye on official meteorological warnings. According to the National Standard for Tropical Cyclone Grades issued by the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), when a typhoon reaches a certain intensity (such as Typhoon level or above), its destructive power increases significantly, requiring extra vigilance.
Real-time typhoon tracks can be queried at TyphoonSays (taifengshuo.com)
This article is typhoonsay's original copy content, and the local policy standards are based on the local government's latest release.