{
  "id": 19904425,
  "title": "23 million vehicles do not have flood insurance - PIAM",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/23-million-vehicles-do-not-have-flood-insurance-piam",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-14T02:01:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Vibes",
    "slug": "the-vibes",
    "url": "https://www.thevibes.com/articles/news/129529/23-million-vehicles-do-not-have-flood-insurance-piam"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The General Insurance Association of Malaysia (PIAM) reports that only 13% of vehicle owners in Malaysia, equating to roughly 3.4 million vehicles, have flood insurance coverage. This leaves nearly 87% of the 26.6 million active vehicle owners exposed to potential significant losses during the current monsoon season. Chua Kim Soon, the Chief Executive Officer of PIAM, revealed that many owners mistakenly believe their comprehensive motor insurance policies protect against natural disasters. However, these policies only offer an optional 'Special Perils' coverage add-on for incidents like floods, landslides, and storms. Chua stressed that the misconception that comprehensive motor insurance covers everything is the biggest mistake consumers make. The absence of this coverage forces many vehicle owners to bear repair costs out of pocket, sometimes amounting to tens of thousands of ringgit. To address this, Chua highlighted that the 'Special Perils' add-on is affordable, costing around 0.2 to 0.5 percent of a vehicle's value annually. For a RM100,000 vehicle, this translates to RM200 to RM500 per year or roughly RM17 to RM42 per month. Selangor and Kuala Lumpur reported the highest motor insurance losses last year, totaling RM1.6 million and RM967,700, respectively. Chua cautioned that flood risks are not limited to rural or low-lying areas but also affect rapidly developing urban regions. Vehicle owners are advised to avoid actions like restarting a submerged engine, which can cause more severe mechanical damage, and to document flood damage with photographs or videos for easier insurance claims processing. Lastly, contacting the insurance company's emergency hotline or using a roadside assistance app is recommended to arrange for towing the vehicle to an authorized panel workshop.",
  "summary": "CLOSE to 87 per cent of the roughly 26.6 million active vehicle owners in the country face the risk of significant losses, as they have not opted for flood insurance coverage, a critical consideration given the current monsoon season. Chua Kim Soon, ...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}