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Written by:
Shivani Gite
Contributing Writer
Shivani Gite is a personal finance and insurance writer with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She is passionate about making insurance topics easy to understand for people and helping them make better financial decisions. When not writing, you can find her reading a book or watching anime.
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Reviewed by:
Laura Longero
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Executive Editor
Laura is an award-winning editor with experience in content and communications covering auto insurance and personal finance. She has written for several media outlets, including the USA Today Network. She most recently worked in the public sector for the Nevada Department of Transportation.

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.

Laura Longero

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Laura Longero

Executive Editor

Laura is an award-winning editor with experience in content and communications covering auto insurance and personal finance. She has written for several media outlets, including the USA Today Network. She most recently worked in the public sector for the Nevada Department of Transportation.

John McCormick

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John McCormick

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John is the editorial director for CarInsurance.com, Insurance.com and Insure.com. Before joining QuinStreet, John was a deputy editor at The Wall Street Journal and had been an editor and reporter at a number of other media outlets where he covered insurance, personal finance, and technology.

Leslie Kasperowicz

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Leslie Kasperowicz is an insurance educator and content creation professional with nearly two decades of experience first directly in the insurance industry at Farmers Insurance and then as a writer, researcher, and educator for insurance shoppers writing for sites like ExpertInsuranceReviews.com and InsuranceHotline.com and managing content, now at CarInsurance.com.

Nupur Gambhir

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Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service.

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Contributing Writer

Shivani Gite is a personal finance and insurance writer with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She is passionate about making insurance topics easy to understand for people and helping them make better financial decisions. When not writing, you can find her reading a book or watching anime.