Winter has finally arrived in Spain in the form of storms and heavy rains,
snow and wind can cause damage in our car. Although it is a situation that repeats itself year after year, it is useful to see what kind of cover we have in our insurance to know what kind of damage is covered if we have an accident.
We must distinguish between normal and extraordinary risks, because this determines whether we have to declare directly to our insurance or to the Insurance Fund. This entity is private and financed exclusively by the contributions of the insured persons themselves.
According to the insurance association Unespa, there is a list of them
up to 10 extraordinary risks assumed by the Consortium, such as high winds (above a certain threshold, normally around 120 km per hour). According to the Consortium (CCS), flooding is the phenomenon that causes the most damage in Spain. «By this is meant the flooding of the land caused by rain or thaw; by water from naturally drained lakes, from estuaries or rivers, or from natural surface watercourses when they overflow their normal channels. Likewise, the attack of the sea on the coast is included, even if there is no flood,” they specify from the Consortium.
What the CCS does not include is hail,
direct rain falling on the insured itemthe weight of the snow or wind below 120 km/h, so the insurer is responsible for compensation as long as the policy provides cover against weather damage.
It also does not take into account flooding from the rain that falls directly on the insured risk, or that is collected by its roof or roof, its sewage system or its patios, nor flooding caused by the breaking of dams, canals, sewers, collectors and other artificial underground channels, unless the rupture is the direct result of an extraordinary event covered by the Consortium.
In case of
that hail causes damage With car windows, the repair falls under the window cover, since insurers usually do not exclude natural causes in this specific case. If the damage to the car was caused by a branch or tree falling on the car, the responsibility falls on the owner of the land where it is planted, which also applies to municipal land (whose responsibility will fall with the council ).
According to
Israel CamachoManager in the field of Corporate
Mary Spain “Insurance policies are designed to cover the damage caused by the effects of extreme weather. It is important to review the contracted coverage and check if atmospheric damage is included as this is the warranty that takes on damage caused by extreme weather conditions.
In this sense, Camacho clarifies a number of frequently asked questions about
cars affected by phenomena such as storms or snowfall are related to the difference in coverage depending on whether “all risk” or “third party” is contracted. For example: “if a car is hit or goes off the road during a storm, or a tree branch falls on it, the damage is only covered if the vehicle is fully insured. If you are only insured for damage to third parties, then you are only insured for the transfer of the vehicle with a tow truck, but not for the repair.
In the event of damage to our car as a result of the storm, the first step would be to do whatever tasks are reasonable and necessary to minimize the damage. (for example, in the case of a car, remove as much snow as possible). We then need to verify that the damaged goods are covered by an insurance policy in force.
Finally we will have to
report the accident immediately to your intermediary (insurance agent or broker). This advises us and indicates what information we must provide to the insurance company and ensures communication to it or to the Compensation Consortium of insurances in case it goes ahead. There is a maximum period of 7 days to make this notification to the insurer.
Both the company and the Consortium (CCS), which has a limit on the amount of compensation for an accident, pays the amount as stipulated in the policy. Insurers such as Mapfre, Mutua or Allianz pay the amount of the new car if it is less than two years old. It is then paid according to the market price, using the valuation tables of the multinational Eurotax Glass-s.
The CCS is
a state body for which part of the money of the underwritten policies is intended. However, we must stick to the qualifier “extraordinary event or phenomenon”. If so, you should contact the CCS directly through the website or by calling 902 222 665 or 952 367 042.
Source: La Verdad
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
