Last month, North Carolina residents suffered through Hurricane Florence together. Towns lost their structures, people lost their lives and the state lost billions in property damage. If you were fortunate enough to receive little to no damage from the storm, do not count yourself lucky yet. We still have one month to go before the 2018 hurricane season ends, so we could still get hit with more heavy winds and rainstorms.
If your town experiences heavy downpour, car companies generally recommend that you avoid going through deep water to avoid your vehicle breaking down or drowning. Instead, you should think about where you want to keep your car to avoid getting major storm damage around these times. Finding the right place is crucial to keep your vehicle safe and avoiding tedious battles with insurance companies.
Parking garage
If the storm is primarily a rain and hail storm, your home’s garage can prevent your car from getting any water in the pipes or dents on the windshield. Otherwise an area with an overhead cover or building will suffice. The magazine Consumer Reports also suggests using your car as protection against high wind for your garage in case the wind could reach catastrophic levels. They believe putting your car sideways against the garage door could minimize any potential damage to both your garage or your house.
Higher grounds
With how bad flooding can get during a hurricane, your car’s engine and exterior could receive significant damage just leaving it on the streets. Find a safe building or parking ramp to place it in until the storms subsides. Even if you do not have accessible higher parking areas near you, simply parking it on a tall hill or on the curb of your street could make all the difference. Do not join the thousands of North Carolina residents who face total vehicle losses this year.
Away from collapsing structures
As you would during any major storm, stay away from trees and power lines. Those have the highest chance of falling apart and landing on top of your vehicle during devastating storms. Certain buildings that have limited structures are also prone to falling apart and spreading debris during major hurricanes. Areas near gas stations are dangerous because their tall roofs with minimal interior make them easily collapsible during a hurricane. Hurricane Florence proves that advice is still applicable.
While these areas will not completely protect your car from hurricane damage, they can at least decrease the amount of harm your vehicle would receive. Make sure you take pictures of your car before the storm hits to prove the hurricane’s damage to the insurance company and keep a copy of your car insurance with you so it is not lost in the chaos. Once it is safe to go back, an attorney can assist you in filing a claim for storm recovery damage.