Flood bills in Hat Yai drown vehicle owners
R. SEKARAN

GEORGE TOWN: Malaysians dri­ving into south Thailand have been urged to ensure they have proper cross-border motor insu­rance, after the severe floods in Hat Yai last month left many motorists stranded.

General Insurance Association of Malaysia (PIAM) chief executive officer Chua Kim Soon said those driving into Thailand can take their comprehensive motor insurance with Endorsement 101, which provides cover for travel in Thailand from one to 30 days.

“This extension continues with Own Damage protection up to the vehicle’s sum insured and inclu­des Third-Party Property Damage coverage of up to RM100,000,” he said.

Chua added that it is better for Malaysian motorists to activate Endorsement 57 as well, which covers special perils such as floods and other disasters.

He said the extension is relatively affordable at around 0.2% of the vehicle’s insured sum and can be arranged through any agent, broker or insurer.

Chua said Malaysians must be aware that the Thai authorities require all foreign vehicles entering the country to purchase their Compulsory Motor Insurance (CMI) before crossing the border from Thai insurance providers.

He said motorists can purchase CMI for the transit or destination country through the Asean regio­nal platform online.

Chua said Malaysian vehicles caught in the recent floods in Thailand could have been better protected if their owners had extended their motor policies to cover travel into Thailand and damage from natural disasters.

“A standard comprehensive motor policy does not automatically cover incidents abroad, nor does it cover flood-related damage unless specific extensions are added. It will be an out-of-pocket expense for them to bring back their stranded vehicles.”

He advised Malaysians whose vehicles were damaged overseas not to start their flood-affected cars or motorcycles, warning that doing so could harm the engine and aggravate mechanical problems.

“Immediately take photos and videos for evidence purposes and then contact the insurer through its hotline or the Digital Roadside Assistance (DRA) app to arrange towing,” he said.

Chua said motorists are requi­red to file a police report in Thailand, unless their insurers waive this obligation during large-scale disasters.

He said documents such as road tax, insurance papers and customs forms must be submitted to the insurers, who will then assist them through the claims process.

Chua added that claims can be tracked through the DRA app, while insurers will assess the claim together with the loss adjuster’s report before issuing a decision.

“Insurers are already working with tow trucks, panel workshops and Thai authorities to assist Malaysians affected by the Hat Yai floods,” he said.

Chua urged all motorists to immediately contact their insu­rers for motor, home or livelihood-related claims.

The floods in Hat Yai last month were caused by days of intense rainfall across Songkhla province.

Roads, hotels and commercial areas were inundated, and seve­ral districts were cut off.

Hundreds of Malaysian vehicles were reported stranded when low-lying areas were flooded without warning. Malaysian tow trucks have since been allowed into the city by Thai authorities to help retrie­ve vehicles belonging to stranded drivers.

Malaysian Consul General in Songkhla, Ahmad Fahmi Ahmad Sarkawi, was earlier quoted as saying that over 500 Malaysian-owned vehicles were reported stranded in Hat Yai due to the floods.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025...s#goog_rewarded

"want to pay extra myr xx for comprehensive - haiyah ! no need ! waste money, buy tomyum better" !

btw, if car accident lost control and masuk sungai, is this under special perils ?

Yes, tow it back and give our local workshops some businesses to further boost this last qtr economy's number also sounds right..

why must bring back to malaysia ?
why not just repair in thailand ?
thai cheap wor
malaysia evrything mahal

from buy car to work, work to buy car

become ?

Anthony Loke must.. oh wait.. who is Thailand punya Ministry to Kereta?

Pipat Ratchakitprakarn

Before enter Thailand have to buy insurance
There are 2 insurance you can buy
The compulsory and the optional one
U have to get both to get flood covered

Because Thai workshop themselves got their hands full dealing with Thai flooded vehicles. Plus lots of those workshops still cleaning up and restarting their business post-flood. Unless you pay to tow it to a non-flooded workshops outside Hattyai which means you have to equally spend more money.

In the end LPPL 2x5 pimaipimaitangtu

need to add extension 101 on top existing car insurance. if not, those 2 insurance are worthless in the event like that flood in thailand

This post has been edited by li_hat: Dec 3 2025, 10:53 AM

Tow truck operator rejoice.
Perlis and Kedah workshop also happy.

This post has been edited by Mixxomon: Dec 3 2025, 11:19 AM

Extension 101 extends the insurance coverage to includes Thailand. Our insurance oso covers Singapore. If not mistaken, last last time, it oso covers up to Hatyai. Now no more.

Extension 101 oso worthless if the perils coverage is not bought in the comprehensive insurance.

Mega flood only occur every 300 years. No need buy lar.

lucky i dun hatyai

or just don't go thailand/ north malaysia in november and december.
the flood is yearly.

This post has been edited by Phoenix_KL: Dec 3 2025, 11:49 AM

malaysians are rich, can repay for rebuild

if can find reliable mechanic, repair in Thailand is cheaper.

Stay one night only, no need la. This what the Thai insurance agent told me when I wanted to buy the 2nd and optional insurance at the border. Hahaha 😂

Oso how to buy if the car is used daily to ferry passengers from border to hatyai.

Some areas still under water. And could remain so another 2 weeks till mid December.

Wait slow slow... maybe for months for the workshops to clear tens of thousands of cars flooded.

One report says the auto parts industry in hatyai will be losing business to us since some roads still flooded and cannot export out.

This post has been edited by ScooterBoi: Dec 3 2025, 12:15 PM

U know why won't buy extra coverage?

To avoid being questioned by their spouses.

In simple words, how much extra to pay for a Myvi or Bezza?

few hundred....but that's nothing compared to what you're about to pay out of pocket now

really really depends on luck
if u add-on every year or every entry...thn it's not luck, it's persistent that pays off

same as windscreen as well, pay RM300 every year as opposed to few thousand out of pocket if really crack

Good for economy.

Maybe just don't drive to Hatyai and take a flight instead?

Drive to thai, then flood happens. When flood is gone, go police station and say car got stolen in thai. Money come, money come

"go hatyai ? Travel insurance myr 61 ? - haiyah, waste money, go hatyai only, eat tumyum better"

Extension 101, can buy short term coverage of at least one week, buy it after you know the travel period or buy 1 month coverage since it's not expensive.

One week, 20% x your normal insurance premium x 1/8

One month, 20% x insurance premium x 1/4

Example 20% x rm2000 x 1/8 = RM50

Or maybe buy one month coverage to be more flexible in the travel period. But you can also change the starting date to a later date. You need to inform your insurance agent ahead of the starting date of course.

Special perils, as in the news article...around 0.2% of the vehicle’s insured sum.

even if relaible local shop,
but what if later they potong, kasi quick fix cause they know you are not local, you going to go back to complain?

later police investigate, found car not stolen....

insurance fraud, false police report....

jail come, jail come

most go Hatyai to cheong

why the fuss

just go Pucheong and use that extra money to get a better quality of your choice

Special perils should be compulsory for all car insurance as there is high chance of it in the current weather

ya we all know the scam that you sell as
comprehensive but T&C say it is far from comprehensive

and who has so much money to buy real comprehensive insurance ?

This post has been edited by Redhunt: Dec 3 2025, 01:04 PM

Many Malaysian got Thai wife, ask your in-law family to monitor. BTW, I did mentioned reliable.

Normal insurance pon many already need to pay thru installment.
Confirm they can't afford additional coverage.

Like they care

Who care, who care

that's why have to set the car on fire first.

if found, can say thieves took the car for joy ride then left after causing accident

That’s car accident no special peril also can cover