The Kennebec Commuter awoke to a nasty surprise Wednesday morning.

The parking lot behind our apartment building was flooded from the torrential rain, and water was starting to gather around car tires -- including this reporter's car tires.

Grumbling expletives and stepping into the chilly water to get the car was only part of the battle. The rest was trying to get out of the parking lot without getting stuck. Talk about being in a modern-day Oregon Trail game and trying to ford your car across the flooding.

But when all was said and done, the Kennebec Commuter was lucky; there was no flood damage to the car. Others in Maine -- particularly our northern neighbors in The County -- were not as fortunate.

Floods are one more reminder from Mother Nature that drivers need to be diligent when selecting their vehicle insurance packages and additives. It may sound like a scam by the insurance company when they insist you tack on flood insurance to your home or car, but it probably doesn't feel that way when you're trying to move your vehicle out of standing water and hear "squish" when you sit down in the driver's seat.

We talked to Lauren Fix -- better known as "The Car Coach" -- about what a driver should do with flood-damaged vehicles.

"The biggest secret out there is get it to an ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) technician for them to inspect it," Fix said.

"Honestly, it's the biggest thing you can do. Once water gets into the car, you're looking at electrical problems, brake line problems, even airbag problems."

Another concern with flood-damaged cars is mold and mildew from water in the carpeting.

Unfortunately, airing and cleaning the vehicle out is something that ought to be done professionally, Fix said, so forget about breaking out the fans and blow dryers.

For drivers who still have to drive through stretches of flooded parking lots to get to higher ground, Fix discourages those car owners from starting the vehicle, even if the water is halfway up the tires.

"If you get water in the engine, you'll just destroy it," Fix said. "Get a tow truck and have an ASE tech look at it. Even if water gets into the exhaust, you could be looking at brake line or fuel line problems."

Why use ASE? These technicians are the best in the industry, Fix said. Technicians must pass a test and complete two years of work before being certified, and must be re-certified every five years.

"These are the people who will find unseen damage with your car," Fix said.

The most important tool motorists can use to protect themselves, Fix said, is to insure the vehicle.

"Car insurance is not mandatory in all 50 states, believe it or not," she said. "If you don't have coverage, you're going to be in trouble."

Fix said receipts from routine oil changes or tire replacements become "valuable" when you're trying to negotiate with your insurance agent on how much your damaged car is worth.

"(Agents) are looking at replacement value in cars," she said. "You'll want to be able to prove that you've been maintaining (your vehicle)."

Follow Meghan Malloy's commuter blog and track the cheapest gasoline prices in town daily at www.kjonline.com.