Limiting potential flood damage to farming machinery
While your priority will be to get your machinery back in operation as quickly as possible, it is important that you:
- talk to your insurer and authorised machinery dealer before attempting any repairs or water removal. Unintended damage from your actions could void your insurance or warranty
- keep a record of the damage (e.g. take photos), as well as any conversations you have with your insurer or machinery dealer
- before restarting your equipment, ensure the machine is checked by a qualified mechanic.
Do not try to start a flood-affected engine, as any water in the cylinder could cause serious damage to internal engine components.
Speak to your insurer
Contact your insurance company to find out if your machinery is covered for flood damage and ask what evidence you will need to support your claim.
Read more about help with getting an insurance claim paid.
Keep accurate records
Before you try to recover flood-affected equipment, you must collect evidence of damage and water heights. Take as many photos as possible of the flooded equipment both during and after flooding.
Accurate information on water levels around the equipment is essential. This helps to determine what components may have been affected by floodwater and assists the damage assessment process.
Contact your dealer
While you wait for an inspection by an insurance assessor or mechanic, you should contact your authorised dealer. Your dealer can give you advice before you do any work on flood-affected machinery.
As every model and make is different, the dealer will be able to give you model-specific information about your machine and the best way for you to limit flood damage.