Nevada car insurance customers may be up a creek without flood coverage

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - As the rains fell in the Las Vegas Valley last week, a number of local properties were damaged - or even completely swept away.

And while flooding in Nevada isn’t especially common compared to other regions of the US, it can still happen - and it isn’t necessarily covered by a regular policy.

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“One of the most common and most damaging myths related to flooding is that homeowners’ or commercial property insurance will cover loss or damage caused by flood, according to the Nevada Division of Insurance.

The division states that just because someone has a policy does not mean they shouldn’t check to see if they may need more protection from floods.

Flood insurance coverage is offered by private insurers and through a federal program called the National Flood Insurance Program, which is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for buildings.

But for cars, those policies do not extend to personal or commercial vehicles.

Comprehensive coverage of an automobile policy, usually listed as the “other than collision” provision in some insurance contracts, generally provides coverage for damage caused by disasters - like floods.

The NDI says it is a good practice to take photos or videos of property before any damage to create a record, obtain estimates for repairs, and “to understand your policy and be sure you have the proper coverage before an accident or disaster occurs.”