An animal chewed your car's wiring. Now what?
A squirrel, rat, mouse, chipmunk, or raccoon got under the hood and went after the wires. Before you pay a shop or call your insurer, get a clear read on what this is likely to cost and whether filing a claim is actually worth it.
No payment to use the free check. We never file the claim for you.
Chewed wires are stressful, expensive, and confusing.
Animals shelter in warm engine bays and gnaw on wiring looms, leaving stripped insulation, a nest, droppings, or a smell under the hood. The hard part isn't just the repair -- it's not knowing what it will cost, whether your insurance covers it, and what you should do first.
The cost is a moving target
A small harness fix can be a few hundred dollars; a chewed wiring loom on a newer vehicle can run into the thousands. Until you have a real number, it's hard to know if a claim is even worth it.
Coverage isn't obvious
Animal damage to wiring is typically handled under comprehensive coverage, not collision or liability -- but it's subject to your deductible, and the math doesn't always favor filing. Most people don't know which side of that line they're on.
There's a cleanup nobody mentions
Where there's a nest, there are usually droppings and urine. That's a real biohazard worth handling carefully -- and it's part of why a claim and good documentation matter.
In the UK, insurer Aviva reported animal-related vehicle damage claims rose about 28% year over year, with an average repair around GBP 2,494.
UK data (Aviva). No equivalent authoritative US figure exists.
Should you file a claim, or just pay out of pocket?
Answer a few quick questions about your coverage, deductible, and repair estimate. The tool does the math the way an adjuster's logic would and gives you a plain-language read -- no account, no payment, nothing filed on your behalf.
- Estimates your net benefit: the repair cost minus your deductible.
- Flags whether filing is likely worth more than paying cash.
- Explains what comprehensive coverage usually means for animal damage.
This is a decision tool and education -- not legal advice, and not a promise about any claim outcome.
Three steps, done with you.
You share what happened
Send the photos and details from your checklist. We help you fill any gaps so nothing important is missing.
We organize your evidence
Within 24 hours you get a clean, well-organized documentation file: documented photos, cost benchmarks, and fill-in templates.
You file your claim
You submit it yourself, in your own words, with everything organized. We're support and education -- you stay in control.
A nest usually means droppings -- handle the cleanup with care.
Rodent droppings and urine can carry leptospirosis, a bacterial illness. When you clean a contaminated engine bay, the careful approach is to avoid dry-sweeping or dusting it off (which can stir up particles), dampen the area with a household disinfectant first, wear gloves and eye protection, and bag waste securely. If there's heavy contamination, it's reasonable to have a specialist handle it.
Leptospirosis is associated with rodent urine; see your local health department's guidance. This is general safety information, not medical advice.
Clear, honest help at a stressful moment.
Free first
The decision tool costs nothing. If your numbers say a claim isn't worth filing, we'll tell you that plainly -- no upsell.
You stay in control
We don't speak to your insurer, file anything, or take a cut of your settlement. You file your own claim and decide what to accept.
Straight talk on coverage
Comprehensive coverage typically handles animal damage, subject to your deductible. No service can promise an outcome, and we won't pretend otherwise.
We document, we don't diagnose
We help you organize evidence and benchmarks. For the actual repair, we refer you to a qualified mechanic -- we don't diagnose malfunctions or write estimates.
What people ask first.
Does car insurance cover rodent or animal damage to wiring?
Animal-chewed wiring is typically handled under comprehensive coverage rather than collision or liability, and it's subject to your deductible. Whether filing is worth it depends on your repair cost versus that deductible -- which is exactly what the free check estimates.
Will you file the claim for me?
No. You always file your own claim, in your own words. We provide documentation tools, cost benchmarks, and guidance to help you do it well. tallyward is not a public adjuster, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice.
Are you promising my claim will be paid?
No. No honest service can promise a claim outcome. What the evidence pack gives you is an organized, well-documented file and realistic benchmarks so you're prepared -- the decision and the filing stay with you.
What does this kind of repair usually cost?
It ranges widely -- from a few hundred dollars for a minor harness fix to several thousand for an extensively chewed wiring loom on a newer vehicle. The free check uses your own estimate to do the math.
Is the mess under the hood dangerous?
Droppings and urine from a nest can carry leptospirosis, so it's worth cleaning carefully -- dampen before wiping, wear gloves and eye protection, and bag waste. For heavy contamination, consider a specialist.
Start with the free check.
Two minutes to find out whether filing is worth it -- and what to do next either way.