Service to Rescue Stranded Cars From Floodwaters

As hurricane season rolls across storm-prone states, an auto industry application is offering a service that could save cars from ruin in floodwaters.

California-based Way.com said it’s partnered with Cure Auto Insurance to create a “white glove” service that notifies car owners in areas with forecasted hurricanes and other flooding weather events of prepaid reserved parking garages to get cars to dry ground before the rain arrives, plus and Uber credits for transportation to the garages and to their next destinations after dropping off their cars.

"When families evacuate, they typically leave together and often must leave a car behind. Now their vehicle can be taken to a safe, protected space,” said Way.com Vice President of Strategic Partnerships J.R. Anciano.

Way.com claims to be the first to offer such a service and says three other insurance carriers have since partnered with it for their customers. It’s welcoming others to join them. It’s currently being offered to owners in the hurricane-prone states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia.

The program is now available in hurricane-affected states including Florida, Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, with secured parking garages available to customers in case of a major weather event.

The Catastrophe Loss Mitigation program is designed to remove cars from storms’ paths to avoid expensive losses to the customer and the insurer, which can pass along its losses to overall customers.

Way.com says 1.6 million cars were damaged beyond repair by flooding in the past five years.

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