If an animal chews your car’s wiring, the damages may be covered if you have comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers damages to your vehicle from “other than collision” incidents. This may include wiring in your car that a wild animal chewed on and damaged. It depends upon the terms of your specific car insurance policy.
This wouldn’t be considered vandalism or malicious malice since the mice weren’t intentionally trying to damage your vehicle. It may be regarded as contact with an animal, but typically, this is to cover your car when you hit or strike an animal on the roadway.
Some car insurance policies will cover electrical damage to your vehicle caused by animals chewing through your wires; however, other auto insurance providers don’t cover this type of damage. This is why it is essential to read through the specific perils that your comprehensive coverage covers or any exclusions.
Your policy should give detailed information on what your comprehensive insurance covers, such as theft, fire, glass damage, etc.
Car insurance policies are stated policies for the most part, meaning that if the peril is listed, it’s covered; if it isn’t, then it’s not. This allows some car insurance companies to deny claims for damage, such as rodents eating your wiring, that isn’t listed explicitly as a peril.
Other insurance companies do cover such damage but don’t list it specifically. This is typically when the provider’s comprehensive coverage not only states covered perils but also notes that coverages are “not limited to” the listed items, so it may still fall under their comprehensive coverage guidelines.
Read your policy and any amendments you may have received that change or alter your policy’s coverages to see the covered perils for your comprehensive coverage. The next step is to contact your agent or company’s claim department and find out for sure if your particular damages are covered if you can’t tell for certain by going over your car insurance policy.
If the claim is accepted, then your comprehensive deductible will be due. If the damage is covered, get an estimate for the repair cost before making a claim. If the damage is minimal and will cost only $350 to repair, and your deductible is $500, don’t bother making the claim.
— Penny Gusner contributed to this story.
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