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Are my seats covered from damage caused by a rat?

Rodent died deep in my new cars vent after he chewed my seat. Is it covered? Came home from vacation and opened my car and it smelled like death. When I turned on the A/C it smelled 10 times worse. Something definitely died in the vent system. According to the dealership, it is deep in there an will take 7-8 hours to remove. The mouse even chewed a hole in the passenger seat :( . I called the insurance company and they said they will cover any damage caused by the rodent, but not the removal of the carcass. Isn't the smell that is preventing me from driving the car damage? How do I avoid a disastrous bill here?

Sep 7, 2018 Cortlandt Manor, NY

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Ava Lynch

Director of SEO

Credentials
  • Licensed Insurance Agent (former) — Property and Casualty

Ava joined The Zebra as a writer and licensed insurance agent in 2016. She now works as a senior analyst, providing insights and data analysis as one…

When there is an animal-involved incident, your comprehensive coverage would pay for the damages to your car. The insurance company will have to pay to repair the damage that was done to the car. This doesn't mean that they have to pay for the removal of the rodent. That is something that the insurance adjuster would determine. If you feel that the insurance company should pay for the removal, then you will have to dispute the claim with your insurance company. Technically the smell of a car is not a reason that will make the car undrivable. On a side note, there is a spray you can buy that will prevent animals from crawling into your car and chewing wires causing even more damage. Good luck and if you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask.

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