Your guide to car insurance and storm damage

During storm season, keep an eye on the weather forecast, and plan your week around the weather. If you think there's a storm or flood coming, avoid driving if possible. If you can, park somewhere safe, like inside a garage, and away from trees and power lines that could potentially fall on your car.

Stop, pull over and wait in the car until it's over. Driving into storms, like flood or hail, can be extremely dangerous and cause irreparable damage to your car. If you do continue to drive through water, and you cause any additional damage to your car, this may not be covered by your insurer.

After the storm has cleared and it's safe to go outside, assess your car. Whatever the damage, it's important to contact your insurer before considering any repairs. Remember to take lots of photo evidence because it can help to assess your claim. There are a few common types of damage:

• Dents and scratches. If you're lucky to get away with just a dent or two, your car may still be driveable and may not need repair. That being said, dents can decrease the value of your car, so consider making a claim or heading to a panel beater for assessment.
• Broken windscreens, side mirrors and light lenses. This can be pretty common after a storm, especially after heavy hail. Damage to these areas will make your car unroadworthy, meaning it will be illegal to drive until you get it fixed.
• Damage to mechanical components. If your car has been through a flood or heavy downpour, this could affect some of your car parts, making it unsafe to drive.

Yes, an excess will apply, unless otherwise stated, but which excess will depend on who is driving or if your car is parked. For more info on the different types of excesses, check out this handy article. To find your excess, log in to Bingle Self Service to check your policy summary. Our Windscreen and Window Glass Only optional extra available with Bingle Comprehensive Insurance can cover you for when the loss or damage to your car is limited to the windscreen and window glass only, excess-free. Limits and exclusions apply, so be sure to read the policy documents.

It's easy to make a claim online with Bingle. Simply log in to Bingle Self Service to get started. Be sure to upload the photos you took after the storm. After you've made the claim, an assessor will review the damage and check your car ASAP. If your car is repairable, we'll arrange for it to be fixed. If it's unable to be repaired, we'll discuss settlement through a total loss payment.