Beach Parking? Watch A BMW Get Carried Away By The Tide
There aren't many beaches in the US where you can drive your vehicle right on the beach. The most famous beach in the US allowing drivers is Daytona Beach in Florida. Padre Island has to be a close second.
Drivers can enjoy miles of beach and park with permits.
As fun, as it can be to drive your car right on the beach, there are many ways that vehicles and the beach do not mix. This past Memorial Day weekend, tow trucks were busy pulling vehicles out of the sand.
Even worse, it seems like every summer, someone forgets that the tides are an ever-changing thing on the beaches of the Texas Coast.
Tides can rise on the beach a few feet an hour. Cars left unattended can be inundated in a matter of minutes. It happens every summer on Padre Island. To add insult to injury, it is not guaranteed that your auto insurance would cover the damage.
Generally, for this type of damage, you would need comprehensive coverage, which covers non-collision damages. These typically include natural disasters, theft vandalism, and other events out of your control.
Your insurance carrier might deny this kind of claim. They could claim you were negligent in parking in a known tide zone or an area marked as such. I've never seen that kind of warning on any Padre Island Beach, but your carrier could still claim you were negligent.
Even if they cover your damage, you will still be responsible for the deductibles.
That all has to be bad news for the owner of a pricey BMW convertible who had the misfortune of having his very pricey BMW convertible washed away on Trevaunance Beach in Cornwall England.
One thing is for sure, this would definitely make a good example of the Farmer's Insurance "We've Seen A Few Things" commercial series. Unfortunately, it is entirely possible this is one thing they might refuse to cover.