In short
A flood claim turns on one thing: Acts of Nature cover on your policy. The IC motor tariff, as of 1 January 2015, prices that cover at a minimum rate of 0.50% of the car's value.
Riot, strike and civil commotion (RSCC) damage to your car works the same way: excluded unless you add the cover. CTPL still pays injured third parties up to ₱200,000.
- "Three tire rule"
- Not in any Philippine policy wording or IC issuance
- Flood under the base policy
- Excluded, except CTPL claims under Sections I and II
- Riot, strike, civil commotion
- Excluded unless added as an optional cover (IC Circular Letter 2021-54)
- Acts of Nature tariff rate
- 0.50% minimum (IC Motor Car Tariff, as of 1 January 2015)
- Driving a damaged car
- Further damage excluded (IC standard policy, Condition 3, from 1 July 2023)
Is the three tire rule real in the Philippines?
No. The phrase comes from US insurance talk, where it describes a myth about slashed tyres. It has nothing to do with floods there either.
Here it circulates as a flood rule: water above the tyres, or above half a tyre, voids the claim.
Under IC Memorandum Circular 2022-02 (official source), the IC standard Private Car Policy has been the only form insurers may issue since 1 July 2023. It contains no such test.
Three clauses in that wording decide a flood claim instead. The flood claims guide walks through them step by step, and the Acts of Nature guide explains the add-on.
| Situation | Clause | Effect on the claim |
|---|---|---|
| Car damaged by flood or typhoon | General Exception 3 | Not paid unless Acts of Nature is on the policy |
| Car driven after it was damaged | Condition 3 | Any extension of the damage, or further damage, is excluded |
| Only the tyres are damaged | Exception 3 to Section III | Not paid unless the car is damaged at the same time |
| Car left after an accident or breakdown | Condition 3 | Must not be left unattended without precautions |
| Loss during a flood without the cover | General Exception 3 | You must prove the loss had no connection to the flood |
Water depth alone does not decide a claim under the standard wording. Driving the car after the damage can, because further damage is excluded.
What riot, strike and civil commotion (RSCC) cover means
RSCC stands for riot, strike and civil commotion. The standard policy lists these events in General Exception 3, beside floods and war.
Damage to your car from any of them is not paid as own damage unless the policy carries the optional cover.
The exclusion leaves CTPL alone. Sections I and II still pay third parties hurt in an accident during a riot.
IC Circular Letter 2021-54 (official source) lists "Riots, Strikes" as an optional cover. The other two optional covers are Acts of Nature and unnamed personal accident.
- Events in the exception
- Strike, civil commotion, mutiny, riot, military or popular rising
- Also in the same exception
- Invasion, war, rebellion, insurrection, martial law, state of siege
- Optional cover named in IC CL 2021-54
- Riots, Strikes
- Sections affected
- Section III own damage and Section IV excess liability
- Sections not affected
- Sections I and II (CTPL)
What each insurer covers
| Coverage |  Alliedbankers Insurance |  Alpha Insurance |  Asia Insurance Philippines |  Asia United Insurance |  AXA Philippines |  Bethel Insurance |  BPI MS |  Cibeles Insurance |  Cocogen Insurance |  Commonwealth Insurance |  Corporate Guarantee Insurance |  Country Bankers Insurance |  FGen Insurance (Fortune General) |  FPG Mercantile |  Liberty Insurance |  Malayan Insurance |  Oona Insurance |  Pacific Union Insurance |  Paramount Insurance |  Petrogen Insurance |  PGA Sompo |  PhilFirst Insurance |  Pioneer Insurance |  Prudential Guarantee |  SGI Philippines |  Standard Insurance |  Sterling Insurance |  Stronghold Insurance |  Travellers Insurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Own damage and theft | Included | Included | Not listed | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Not listed | Included | Included | Included | Included | Not listed | Not listed | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Excess bodily injury | Included | Not listed | Not listed | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Not listed | Included | Included | Included | Included | Not listed | Not listed | Optional | Included | Included | Included | Included | Not listed | Optional | Included |
| Third-party property damage | Included | Not listed | Not listed | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Not listed | Not listed | Optional | Included | Included | Included | Included | Not listed | Optional | Included |
| Auto personal accident | Included | Included | Not listed | Not listed | Included | Optional | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included | Optional | Included | Not listed | Included | Included | Not listed | Included | Not listed | Not listed | Included | Included | Not listed | Included | Included | Included | Not listed | Optional |
| Acts of nature | Optional | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Optional | Optional | Optional | Not listed | Optional | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Optional | Included | Not listed | Not listed | Optional | Optional | Optional | Not listed | Not listed | Included | Optional | Not listed | Included | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Optional |
| Riot, strike and civil commotion | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Included | Not listed | Included | Optional | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Roadside assistance | Included | Included | Not listed | Not listed | Optional | Not listed | Included | Not listed | Included | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Included | Not listed | Included | Included | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Included | Included | Included | Included | Not listed | Included | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Loss of use | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Optional | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Optional | Optional | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Optional | Not listed | Not listed | Included | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
Vandalism by one person versus damage in a riot
Section III of the standard policy pays for loss or damage "by malicious act". A stranger who scratches the paint or smashes a window commits a malicious act.
Own damage pays it, less the deductible of 0.50% of the insured value with a ₱2,000 minimum, under the standard policy (official source).
The same broken window during a riot or a violent strike falls under General Exception 3. Without RSCC, the insurer can decline it.
What changes the answer is the event around the damage, not the damage itself. Choose a plan with RSCC if you park or drive where strikes and protests happen, because the base policy will decline that damage.
Otherwise the malicious act cover already handles vandalism by one person.
| What happened | Base policy | With RSCC added |
|---|---|---|
| Window smashed by a passer-by | Paid as a malicious act | Paid |
| Window smashed during a riot | Excluded | Paid within the cover's terms |
| Car set on fire in a civil commotion | Excluded | Paid within the cover's terms |
| Pedestrian hurt by your car during a strike | CTPL pays | CTPL pays |
Which insurers offer RSCC on a car policy
RSCC is sold as an add-on or bundled into a higher plan. The table lists what each insurer states in its own product papers.
Malayan lists it in its 2024 AutoMaster brochure (official source) as a feature that repays repairs for damage during civil unrest. OONA's car insurance brochure (official source) makes it optional on its base comprehensive policy and includes it in the Plus plan.
Ask for RSCC by name when you request a quote, then check the schedule lists it. The insurer directory covers the rest of the market.
| Insurer | Product | RSCC |
|---|---|---|
| Malayan | AutoMaster | Listed as a feature |
| OONA | Auto Compre. | Optional |
| OONA | Auto Compre.+ | Included |
| BPI MS | Comprehensive Motor with AON | Riot, strike and civil commotion stay excluded |
| Standard Insurance | Car Protect | Not among the listed covers |
How to claim for riot or strike damage
Tell the insurer as soon as possible with full particulars. The standard wording gives no day count.
Arson and looting are crimes, and for a criminal act the policy requires immediate notice to the police.
Keep the car where it is safe and do not drive it before repairs. Under Condition 3 of the standard policy, damage from driving it on is excluded.
You are ready to file when the insurer has your written notice, the police report and the photos before any repair starts.
- Photograph the damage
Show the damage and the plate number. Pioneer and Malayan list photos with the plate among own damage claim papers.
- Report to the police
A police report carries a riot or arson claim. Malayan also accepts a notarized affidavit of the incident for own damage.
- Notify the insurer
Give notice in writing or by another accepted channel. Forward any letter or summons you receive at once.
- Have it towed
The insurer pays reasonable towing to the nearest repairer, up to the towing limit on your schedule.
- Certificate of registration and official receipt
- Driver's licence
- Police report
- Photos of the damage showing the plate
5 of 5 still to check