Rodents cause damage wherever they go. However, they could wreak havoc on your finances the moment they enter your car's bonnet. They might devour your car's wires like breakfast, making it dangerous to drive or maybe even impossible to start. Getting your car back on the road could prove expensive. It makes sense to consider filing an insurance claim if rodents have damaged your car. If you are not sure whether your insurance covers it, read on to learn more.
If you have comprehensive auto insurance, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Generally speaking, they do cover all kinds of animal damage, but to be certain, you must read the fine print. Examine the declarations page of your contract, which is a one-page summary of your car insurance policy. Included in the list of coverages should be things like medical payments, collision insurance, comprehensive coverage, and liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage. Rodent or animal damage must be listed under one of these categories in order for your insurer to cover it.
It has been hypothesized that rodents chew on car wiring for no apparent reason other than to wear down their constantly growing teeth. They could grow out of their mouths if unattended, resulting in certain death as their ability to eat declines. Some rodents might even think that these wirings resemble branches, which they can chew on to shave their teeth down.
Since rodent damage can appear in a variety of ways, it's critical to determine what damage has been done and how severe it is. Your best option would be to have your car towed to a professional mechanic because trying to assess on your own might not produce the same results, and your car might already be too dangerous to drive. The technician would then assess the extent of the rodent damage and provide you with a cost estimate for the necessary repairs.
Make contact with your insurer to inform them of the damage and that you will be making a claim. Keep all necessary data on hand to expedite the claims process. Your insurer will then contact you with instructions on how to proceed with the claim. As your insurer will require you to provide it later as proof, be sure to save receipts and take pictures of the damage as you go along. Your insurer will speed up your final payment once the file has been claimed and all the necessary paperwork has been completed.
While your comprehensive coverage will help with the cost of repairing your car after damage, it is preferable to prevent damage from occurring in the first place or from happening again. Following are some ways to keep rodents from damaging the wiring in your car:
Following these tips can help you keep your car free from rodents. If they don't, then you can take the help of professional insurance agents.
If you are looking for rodent coverage for your car, contact our experts here at John E. Peakes Insurance Agency. We will help you get the best prices on comprehensive auto insurance that helps protect your car from all sorts of animal damage.
