Cyclone season officially opens on Sunday 1 November and runs until 15 May. The Mauritius Meteorological Services (MMS) expects five to seven named storms across the South West Indian Ocean this summer. That does not mean any will hit us, but MMS also warns of torrential rain and localised flash floods. For most drivers, water is the bigger threat than wind.

Here is how to keep your car out of trouble, and how to make sure your insurer pays if it is not.

What each warning class means for your car

Every class is built around one trigger: gusts of 120 km/h.

Classes do not always run in order. A warning can jump a class or be lifted early, so do not wait for Class III to act.

Does Class III cancel your insurance?

It is a popular belief on local social media. Mainstream policy wordings do not generally say cover lapses at Class III. What they do say is that cover can be refused if the car is used outside permitted conditions, and an insurer is entitled to expect reasonable care.

Driving through flood water during a Class III is exactly the kind of decision a claims assessor will question. And since the law allows workers to stay away from work under a Class III or IV, there is rarely a good reason to be on the road.

Where to park

• A garage or covered spot on higher ground is best.

• Avoid low-lying roads, riverbanks, canals and drains. If your street floods in a summer downpour, it will flood in a cyclone.

• Avoid basements and underground car parks.

• Keep clear of trees, electricity poles, billboards, boundary walls and anything with loose roof sheeting.

• Stay off the seafront. MMS warns that cyclones passing nearby can bring heavy swells and storm surges.

• Close the windows, lock up and take documents and valuables inside.

Check your cover actually includes cyclone and flood

Third party cover, the legal minimum, pays nothing for damage to your own car. You need comprehensive cover, and even then, check the wording.

Many local comprehensive policies list cyclone, tempest and flood as standard insured events. Others treat these perils of nature as an optional extension you must add and pay for. Wind and flood can also appear as separate items, so make sure both are there.

Look at your policy schedule for:

• Cyclone, storm and flood, listed by name

• The excess you would pay on a claim

• Whether the car is insured at agreed or market value

• How quickly you must notify a claim

If anything is unclear, ask your insurer to confirm in writing. Do it this weekend, not when the first warning is issued.

A word on Cyclone Belal. After flash floods damaged vehicles in January 2024, the authorities compensated owners with third party or inadequate cover, based on estimated repair costs. That was a one-off decision. There is no guarantee it will happen again.

What to photograph before the storm

Five minutes with your phone at Class I or II can settle a claim later.

• All four sides, plus the roof and bonnet, in daylight

• Close-ups of existing scratches and dents, so there is no argument about what the storm caused

• The interior: seats, carpets and boot floor, where water damage shows first

• The dashboard with the ignition on, showing mileage and no warning lights

• The number plate

• Where the car is parked, showing its distance from trees and water

• Your policy schedule and registration documents

Check the photos are date-stamped and back them up to the cloud. A phone that floods with the car is no use to anyone.

After the storm

• Do not start a car that has stood in water. Cranking a flooded engine can destroy it.

• Photograph the damage before moving anything.

• Notify your insurer promptly and keep every reference number.

• Do not book repairs until your insurer authorises them.

Read your policy while the sun is out

The best time to find out what your insurance covers is a calm Saturday, not halfway through a Class II. If your current policy leaves you guessing,AutoCloud.mu can get you a motor insurance quote that spells out cyclone and flood cover clearly. Ask now, while the skies are still blue.