Reviewed and approved by Samuel Corso, licensed Texas insurance agent.

Published September 6, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026

Does car insurance cover flood damage in Texas?

Floodwater is treated one way on a car policy and another way on a home policy, so each policy is worth checking on its own. This guide walks through what the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) says about flooded cars, with a link to each page.

The short version. On whether car insurance covers flood damage in Texas, TDI says in Flooded cars: What to know about insurance claims and repairs: "If you have comprehensive auto coverage, you're covered for flood damage to your car." TDI's Auto insurance guide adds that coverages vary by policy and depend on the types of coverages you choose, and that a deductible applies to comprehensive claims.

Here's what we'll cover: which coverage applies and how to check for it, how flood is handled on a home policy, what TDI says about starting or drying a flooded car, filing the claim, total losses, loan balances, a car that floated away, claims and premiums, and buying a used car after a flood.

Which coverage pays for a flooded car?

For flood damage to a car in Texas, TDI points to comprehensive coverage. Its Auto insurance guide lists comprehensive (other than collision) among eight basic auto coverages and says it "pays if your car is stolen or damaged by fire, flood, vandalism or something other than a collision."

The same guide describes collision coverage separately, as the coverage that pays to repair or replace your car after an accident. In its table of what auto policies cover, the guide lists flood damage to your car under what most policies cover, with the condition that you have comprehensive coverage, and it says coverages vary by policy and depend on the types of coverages you choose.

TDI's storm page Before the storm describes comprehensive the same way, as coverage that will pay to repair or replace your car if it is damaged or destroyed by hail, wind, fire, or flood.

In plain terms, a flooded car is a question about one named coverage on your auto policy. Whether that coverage is on your policy is something to confirm on the policy itself.

How to check whether you have comprehensive

Whether a Texas auto policy includes comprehensive coverage shows on the policy's declaration page. TDI's Auto insurance guide describes the declaration page as the first page of your policy, with a summary of your coverages, dollar limits, and deductibles.

The guide (last updated 12/11/2025) says Texas law requires drivers to show proof they can pay for the accidents they cause, and that most drivers do this by buying auto liability insurance. It describes liability coverage as paying for the other driver's car and other people's medical expenses when you are at fault. The guide also says there are eight basic auto insurance coverages and that you can choose whether to buy the others.

Two points from the same guide are worth reading next to the declaration page:

• Car loans. The guide says that if you still owe money on your car, your lender will require you to have collision and comprehensive coverage.
• Deductible. The guide says you must pay a deductible for collision, comprehensive, and uninsured/underinsured motorist claims, and defines a deductible as the amount of a claim that you must pay yourself.

If you don't have your policy, TDI's Flooded cars page says to contact your agent or insurer, and that you can call TDI's Help Line at 800-252-3439 to get a contact number for your insurance company. Our guide on how home insurance deductibles work in Texas explains deductibles on the home side.

How flood is handled on a home policy

On a Texas home policy, flood is handled differently than on a car policy. TDI's Home insurance guide says: "Most home policies don't cover damage caused by floods."

The home guide suggests talking to your home insurance agent about getting a flood policy from your insurance company or the National Flood Insurance Program. It also gives a timing note: "Most flood policies have a 30-day waiting period before kicking in so don't wait for an approaching storm before deciding to buy coverage."

On where floods happen, the same guide says floods can happen anywhere, and that more than half of the homes flooded by Hurricane Harvey were outside of designated flood zones.

Here is how the two TDI guides compare:

So a household may have flood coverage on the car through comprehensive and none on the house, or the other way around. The two are worth checking separately. Our guide on flood insurance in Texas covers the home side, and what home insurance doesn't cover in Texas sets flood among other exclusions.

What TDI says about starting or drying a flooded car

For a car that has taken in floodwater, TDI's Flooded cars page reports an expert recommendation about starting it. In the page's words: "Experts recommend that you have a mechanic look at a flooded car before trying to start it to avoid more damage."

On drying the car out, the same page calls the task best left to a professional if water got in your car. A car that is not dried out correctly, it warns, will be at risk of mold, electrical issues, and other problems.

Taken together, the page's two points are a mechanic's look before the engine is started and a professional for the drying.

Filing the claim

To file a flood claim on a car in Texas, TDI's Flooded cars page says to call your insurance agent or company as soon as possible, and notes that your policy should have a number to call to report a claim. It also says to take photos of the damage and, if possible, of your car submerged.

On timing, the page (last updated 10/8/2025) says it might take time for your company to send an adjuster out to look at the damages. It then says: "Texas law requires companies to pay claims timely, but those deadlines can be extended for disasters."

That sentence carries its own condition. The page does not give a number of days or say which events count as disasters.

If you need a replacement title for your insurance claim, the same page says to contact the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, and that you can apply by mail or in person. Our guide on how to file a car insurance claim in Texas covers the general process, and how to file a hail or storm damage claim in Texas covers storm claims on the property side.

Will it be totaled?

Whether a flooded car is totaled depends on its value compared with the cost of repairs, according to TDI. The Flooded cars page says the insurance company will look at your car's actual cash value against the cost of repairs, and states: "If fixing your car will cost more than what it's worth, your insurance company will consider it totaled."

TDI's separate page My car was totaled! Now what?, which is written about a total loss after an accident, words the test differently. On that page, a company will likely consider the car totaled if the repair cost is about the same as or more than the car's value, and that some companies might total a car even if the cost to fix it is lower.

The Flooded cars page also addresses how high the water reached. It describes an old rule of thumb that a car was likely to be a total loss once water reached the dashboard, and then says: "But today's cars have more electronics and can cost more to repair so a car may be totaled even if water didn't get into the engine."

In other words, on TDI's account the height of the water does not settle the question on its own. The comparison between value and repair cost is the test TDI describes, and its totaled-car page adds that some companies might total a car even if the cost to fix it is lower.

If you want to keep a totaled car, TDI's My car was totaled! Now what? page, written about accident total losses, says to let the insurance company know as soon as possible, and that the company will subtract the car's salvage value from the amount it was planning to pay you. The page (last updated 7/23/2026) says the car also may be issued a salvage title, that after repairs you'll need a new title from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles before you can drive it, and that a vehicle that had a salvage title could be harder to sell or insure in the future.

If you think the settlement is too low

If you think a flooded car was worth more than the insurance company decided, TDI's Flooded cars page says you can try to negotiate. Its advice is to be prepared to show what the car would sell for in your area, and it lists three ways to do that:

• Dealer quotes. Get quotes from used car dealers.
• Local prices. View prices online and look for local ads for similar vehicles.
• Features. Document any special features or custom parts on your car.

TDI's My car was totaled! Now what? page, written about accident total losses, gives the same list and adds that you can ask the insurance company what source it used to decide your car's value.

All three items are evidence of what the car was worth before the flood.

If you owe more than the settlement

When the loan balance on a flooded car is higher than the settlement, TDI's Flooded cars page says: "If you have a gap policy, it will pay the difference between what you owe and the settlement amount. If you don't have a gap policy, you'll be responsible for paying off the remainder of the loan."

TDI's page Do you need gap insurance for your car? adds two qualifiers. One is that there are exclusions in most policies that might reduce the amount you get if you have a claim. The other is that gap products you get from a car dealer or bank might not be insurance, and that TDI can't help if you have a problem with these.

The same gap page explains why a balance can be left over. If your car is stolen or totaled, your auto insurance will pay you what the car is currently worth, not what you originally paid or how much you still owe, according to that page. If you have a loan, it may be worth knowing which kind of gap product you have, if any.

What if the car floated away?

If floodwater carried your car away, TDI's Flooded cars page says to contact the police department's unclaimed autos department to see if your car has been recovered.

The same page says to call your insurance agent or company as soon as possible to file a claim.

What does TDI say about claims and premiums?

Home and auto premiums in Texas can go up if you file claims, and it depends on the type of claim and how many you file, according to TDI's page Will my premium go up if I file a claim?. That page says home and auto insurance companies can raise your premium for filing most types of claims.

The page then gives two lists. In the first, home and auto companies can't charge you more for claims you file that the company didn't pay, including claims denied because your policy doesn't cover the damage, or for calling your company or agent to ask questions about your policy or the claims filing process. In a separate list for home companies only, it says they can't charge you more for claims for damage from natural causes, including weather.

The page lists weather claims under home companies. It does not say how an auto company treats a comprehensive flood claim, so this guide does not either. What the page covers for both home and auto is claims the company didn't pay and calls to ask questions about your policy or the claims filing process.

On claims records, the same page says most insurance companies get a report from the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE), and that because most companies use CLUE they can learn about home or auto claims you've filed, even with another company. A free copy of your report is available each year, the page adds, by calling 866-312-8076. Our guide on do car insurance claims follow you in Texas covers how that history is used.

Buying a used car after a flood season

Flood-damaged vehicles can come back onto the used car market, according to TDI's page Beware of buying flood-damaged vehicles. The page warns that some sellers buy flooded salvage cars at auction and resell them to buyers across the state and nation.

The checks on that page (last updated 9/21/2025) are:

• Signs of water. Stains, mildew, rust, and discoloration are listed as signs of water damage, along with dirt or debris under the floor mats, carpet, or where the spare tire is located. The page adds that a strong smell of cleaner or disinfectant could be an attempt to cover up a musty odor.
• Title. According to the page, when a vehicle is declared a total loss, the title must be changed to a salvage or non-repairable title. You can ask to see the title, and that a vehicle history report will list the title's status.
• VIN. The page points to a free service from the National Insurance Crime Bureau called VINCheck, which will show if a vehicle has been stolen or listed as a total loss.
• Mechanic. Flood damage isn't always obvious, the page notes, and it suggests trying to have a trusted mechanic inspect the vehicle.
• Boats and RVs. Boats, RVs, and campers damaged by floodwaters also may appear on the resale market.

These checks matter for insurance as well as for the purchase. As noted above, TDI's page on totaled cars says a vehicle that had a salvage title could be harder to sell or insure in the future.

What to do with this

For a Texas driver, the steps you can take come down to a few checks before a flood and a few actions after one. The sources for the facts inside each step are the TDI pages linked above.

• Declaration page. Look for a comprehensive line and the deductible beside it. TDI's Flooded cars page ties flood coverage for a car to having comprehensive auto coverage.
• Home policy. Check it separately. TDI's Home insurance guide says most home policies don't cover damage caused by floods and that most flood policies have a 30-day waiting period.
• Before starting the car. TDI's Flooded cars page reports that experts recommend having a mechanic look at a flooded car first.
• Photos. TDI's Flooded cars page lists photos of the damage, and of the car submerged if possible, among its claim steps.
• Loan balance. If you have a car loan, find out whether you have a gap policy and who sold it. TDI's gap page says dealer or bank gap products might not be insurance.
• Questions. TDI's premium page says home and auto companies can't charge you more for calling to ask questions about your policy or the claims filing process.

Key facts

• TDI's Flooded cars page says you're covered for flood damage to your car if you have comprehensive auto coverage, and that coverage information is on your policy's declaration page.
• TDI's Auto insurance guide says comprehensive pays if your car is stolen or damaged by fire, flood, vandalism or something other than a collision, that coverages vary by policy and depend on the types you choose, and that you must pay a deductible for comprehensive claims.
• The same Auto insurance guide says that if you still owe money on your car, your lender will require collision and comprehensive coverage.
• TDI's Home insurance guide says most home policies don't cover damage caused by floods, and that most flood policies have a 30-day waiting period.
• TDI's Flooded cars page reports that experts recommend having a mechanic look at a flooded car before trying to start it, to avoid more damage.
• On total losses, the Flooded cars page says a car is considered totaled if fixing it will cost more than it's worth, and that a car may be totaled even if water didn't get into the engine. TDI's My car was totaled! Now what?, written about accident total losses, says some companies might total a car even if the cost to fix it is lower than its value.
• The Flooded cars page says a gap policy will pay the difference between what you owe and the settlement amount. TDI's gap insurance page says exclusions in most policies might reduce the amount, and that dealer or bank gap products might not be insurance.
• TDI's Will my premium go up if I file a claim? says home and auto companies can raise your premium for filing most types of claims, and lists claims for damage from natural causes, including weather, under what home companies can't charge more for.

Sources: Texas Department of Insurance, Flooded cars: What to know about insurance claims and repairs, Auto insurance guide, Home insurance guide, My car was totaled! Now what?, Do you need gap insurance for your car?, Beware of buying flood-damaged vehicles, Will my premium go up if I file a claim? and Before the storm. This page is general information, not legal advice; for a question about your own situation, check your policy or contact the Texas Department of Insurance.

Take the next step

The next step is to open your auto policy's declaration page and look for a comprehensive line and its deductible. Then check your home policy for flood separately, since TDI's Home insurance guide says most flood policies have a 30-day waiting period.

Our guide on does home insurance cover fence damage in Texas works through another covered-or-not question on the property side. If you are reviewing your auto coverage, our guides on how to get car insurance in Texas and how to compare auto insurance in Texas cover what to line up first.

Get a second opinion on your policy — free. Credify is a licensed insurance agency in Texas that helps you compare car insurance from roughly 20 licensed Texas carriers, so you can see whether your comprehensive coverage fits your needs. It takes a few minutes, and there's no obligation. 📞 Talk to Credify 24/7.

Credify is a licensed insurance agency in Texas. License TX #3309669 · NPN 21516523.

We compare quotes from multiple licensed Texas carriers; each insurer has sole responsibility for its products.

Coverage varies by insurer. Please review policy documents for complete details.