Does Your Car Insurance Cover Animal Damage?

Most drivers don’t think much about how animals can damage their vehicles, but it can happen. From mice chewing on wires to running into a deer, there are various scenarios in which an animal can harm your vehicle’s performance. Here’s a look at the kind of insurance you must pay for animal damage incidents.

Animals Getting Inside Your Vehicle

If animals get inside your vehicle and cause damage, such as to seats and other interior parts, it’s covered under a comprehensive auto insurance plan. It likely, however, will be covered by something different than a standard plan.

Rodents Chewing Wires

Smaller animals like rodents can sneak up into the area near the engine from underneath a car. They may hide out for hours and chew away wires, which can cause your car not to start properly. Comprehensive coverage is the best solution for getting this reimbursement.

Hitting a Deer

If you hit a deer on a highway winding through the wilderness, it can cause damage to the hood and front end of your vehicle. Once again, comprehensive coverage is the solution to consider, especially if you regularly drive on roads near livestock.

Damages to Personal Items

Even though comprehensive coverage pays for animal damage to your vehicle’s interior, it doesn’t pay for damage to personal belongings such as a smartphone or a bag of new clothes.

What Is Comprehensive Coverage?

As the term suggests, comprehensive coverage is more elaborate than a basic plan. It covers mishaps to your vehicle, such as severe weather, fire, theft, vandalism, and falling objects. Although states do not require comprehensive coverage for drivers the way liability coverage is, it’s often required by lenders and firms leasing vehicles. These companies may further require collision coverage, which pays for damage to your vehicle in an accident.

How to Prevent Animal Damage?

Hitting an animal while driving can damage your vehicle and injure the animal and can be a traumatic and depressing event. That’s why it’s best to prepare for the unexpected while driving, especially in areas where animals run free. Here are helpful tips to keep in mind to avoid damage from animals:

• Park your car in a garage or place where animals can’t get in.
• Avoid leaving food in the vehicle since it can attract rodents.
• Use an ultrasonic-repellent chemical to keep rodents away.
• Move your car often, and don’t let it sit in the same place for months.
• Slow down when driving in areas populated by wild animals.

Get Coverage for Animal Damage Today with Advanced Insurance Group!

No one wants to experience striking an animal while driving, but it can happen unexpectedly in rural and wilderness areas. If you go on frequent journeys through these areas, it’s helpful to carry auto insurance for animal damage as a form of risk management. Contact us at Advanced Insurance Group to get started on your plan today!