Cars trapped in flooding in Santo André, in Greater SP Reproduction/TV Globo The State Civil Defense Monitoring Center (CMDEC) released this Tuesday (28) a Hydrometeorological Warning for flooding in cities on the banks of five rivers in Rio Grande do Sul for the next few days. There is a forecast of moderate to heavy rain which, combined with current river conditions, should increase the risk of flooding and overflows. According to Civil Defense, there is a risk of river levels temporarily exceeding the flood mark in municipalities located along the rivers: Jacuí, between Dona Francisca and Cachoeira do Sul; Taquari, between Encantado and Taquari; Caí, between São Sebastião do Caí and Montenegro; Sinos, between Campo Bom and São Leopoldo; Gravataí, between Gravataí and Cachoeirinha. g1 spoke to experts to understand what the driver's rights are when activating insurance in cases of damage caused by rain and natural disasters. For the insurance market, the rainy season is marked by an increase in the volume of claims (cases in which damage occurs to the insured asset specified in the policy) and indemnities — mainly with regard to car insurance. But some accidents or incidents may not be covered by insurance. It all depends on what the client contracted for and how the damage happened. Heavy rain and flooding forecast for Rio Grande do Sul What types of coverage are available in car insurance? Car insurance is a type of property protection, which can be contracted directly with an insurance company, an insurance broker or a broker registered with the Superintendency of Private Insurance (Susep). This product serves to protect the insured car from possible losses that may occur on a daily basis, such as a collision between vehicles or cases of robbery, theft or floods. There are several types of coverage that can be taken out in car insurance. Total insurance (also known by the industry as comprehensive insurance) is the most complete — and most expensive — option offered by the market. Typically, this option usually offers coverage against: Collision (total or partial loss); Collision with third party insurance; Robbery and theft; Natural disasters; between others. And it is coverage against natural disasters that usually compensates policyholders during rainy periods. It may include protection against damage caused by floods, hail, falling trees or walls and strong winds, for example. However, the customer must be careful when taking out insurance to be sure of what risks and damages are covered by the policy. “The insurance market increasingly has so-called entry-level products, which eventually have some type of coverage restriction, but help to solve the problems most sought after by customers”, said Porto Seguro’s automobile director, Jaime Soares. "But the price of insurance is sometimes very cheap precisely because it comes with coverage restrictions. So it is essential that the consumer understands what offer they are receiving," he added. So-called entry insurance is cheaper products, which allow customization by the customer. In this case, the insured chooses which coverage they would like to have on their vehicle and pays the proportional price. What damages are normally covered by the policy? The damages that can be compensated under the policy depend on the coverage purchased by the customer when taking out the insurance. All accidents or occurrences that are specified in the policy are called claims. This document records the rights and obligations of the insured and the insurer, as well as information on the insurance contracted, coverage and deductibles. If your car gets stuck in a flood due to rain and suffers some damage, for example, you must have taken out coverage against natural disasters so that your case is considered a claim and you can request compensation from the insurance company. But, if your insurance only covers cases of collision between vehicles or robbery and theft, you may have to pay for the loss. The customer can notify the insurance company that there has been an accident within one year of the occurrence. After this period, the insured loses the right to compensation. Furthermore, customers are responsible for not generating what is known as an aggravating risk. According to the vice-president of the car insurance committee of the National Federation of General Insurance (Fenseg), Keila Farias, aggravating the risk means increasing the probability of damage to the insured property. “In the case of a flood, for example, aggravating the risk would be trying to drive a car through a street that is flooded and closed to traffic”, he explained. In these cases, when trying to pass through a flooded street, with water halfway up the tire, the vehicle tends to lose grip on the asphalt, increasing the risk of damage. If this happens, the insured person runs the risk of having to bear the loss, even though they have taken out coverage against flooding. "If you try to drive your car through a flooded street, you are first putting your own life at risk. And, if it is proven [that the customer tried to drive through the flooded road], the person ends up losing coverage, as they forced a situation [of damage]", said Soares, from Porto. See technique for 'resurrecting' a car with embedded dirt How much does car insurance cost? The price of this product varies depending on the amount of coverage contracted in the policy – ??so, the more coverage, the more expensive the insurance tends to be. Furthermore, this cost may also vary depending on: the age and gender of the driver; the region in which he lives and works; the type of car; among other conditions. In April 2026, car insurance prices fell 2.2% compared to the previous year. The numbers are from the Car Insurance Price Index (IPSA), prepared by TEx, a platform