Is a Hydrostatic Lock Cover in Car Insurance Needed?

Over the years, India has been hit by some of the world's most devastating natural disasters. During this period, many people suffered greatly.

The death toll was the highest, but property and car damage were also significant. You may get additional insurance coverage to protect yourself financially from losses not covered by Comprehensive insurance.

We'll talk about that additional coverage in this post, especially a hydrostatic lock cover in automobile insurance.

Insuring a car with a hydrostatic lock cover is a good idea.

What does it mean to be in a state of hydrostatic lock?

Water may leak inside an automobile and cause damage, which is one of the numerous repercussions of severe rains or floods. This occurs because a car's components, particularly the engine, are not built to handle water. It can only function properly while using a certain kind of fuel, such as gasoline or diesel.

When it comes to compression, water is a very strong fluid. Even with a lot of power, it won't budge. The combustion chamber of an engine, on the other hand, is intended to compress a much lighter material – air. When a car engine is flooded with water, it attempts to compress the liquid but suffers damage as a result. Hydrostatic or hydraulic lock is the term for this kind of damage. This was the definition of a hydrostatic lock.

What causes a hydrostatic lock?

When an automobile is driven after the engine has been filled with water, it develops hydrostatic lock. This may happen in a number of different ways. Natural disasters and driving through a wet region, such as a ditch or a stream, are the two most prevalent causes.

Water may penetrate a parked automobile during natural disasters such as severe rainfall or floods. It not only harms the car's interior, such as the cabin, but also its mechanical and electrical components. Water infiltration has the greatest impact on the car's engine and other electrical components.

It's worth noting that a hydrostatic lock can only happen while the engine is operating. If water has entered but the engine is not running, it does not harm the engine. You'll still need to get the help of an expert to inspect the engine and remove the water.

If water enters the engine while it is running, the pistons will strive to compress the water rather than the air, and the opposing force will be so strong that the pistons will bend and damage.

Remember not to attempt to start a car without expert assistance, particularly if the vehicle has been in a wet region or has been damaged by a natural disaster. Water is likely still present in the engine and must be manually removed.

Is it necessary to obtain a hydrostatic lock cover as part of an automobile insurance policy?

A hydrostatic lock cover is a kind of automobile insurance that protects the car's engine against the expenses of repairs or replacement in the event of a hydrostatic lock. To figure out whether you're protected for hydrostatic lock, read through your automobile insurance policy to see what kind of coverage you have.

There are two types of automobile insurance policies: third-party liability and comprehensive liability. Only if you have a Comprehensive Car Insurance coverage can you acquire a hydrostatic lock cover. This is due to the fact that the earlier sort of plan does not include insurance coverage for your vehicle.

If you have a Comprehensive Plan, you may purchase the Engine Protect add-on, which provides coverage for hydrostatic lock. While a basic Comprehensive Policy protects your automobile from a variety of losses, it does not cover the costs of engine damage. If you want comprehensive coverage, you'll need to purchase the add-on.