Man, I totally get where you're coming from. I thought my policy had me covered for just about everything until I actually needed it. The animal thing? Had a raccoon chew through some wiring in my old Civic a few years back. Figured, hey, that's what comprehensive is for, right? Turns out, not always—my insurer tried to say it was “wear and tear” at first. Took a few calls and some photos before they finally agreed it counted as animal damage.
It’s wild how much stuff gets buried in the fine print. Makes you wonder if anyone reads all those exclusions before something actually happens. I know I didn’t until I got hit with a weird claim denial. Ever since then, I’m way more paranoid about what’s actually covered... but honestly, who has the time to read every word?
Did you end up getting your Chevelle’s wiring sorted out? That’s a classic worth keeping on the road, even if the insurance hoops are annoying.
Makes you wonder if anyone reads all those exclusions before something actually happens. I know I didn’t until I got hit with a weird claim denial.
Honestly, I skimmed my own policy for years and only really dug into the fine print after a squirrel trashed my truck’s engine harness. Have you ever tried to explain “rodent damage” to a claims adjuster? Took forever. Did your insurer end up covering the Chevelle, or did you have to pay out of pocket? Sometimes it feels like they’re just waiting for us to miss a detail...
I get what you mean about the fine print, but honestly, I don’t think they’re out to get us—just covering their bases. I had a windshield crack from a rock and thought it’d be a simple claim, but nope, turns out my deductible made it pointless. Stuff like rodent damage feels so random... who actually expects that? Still, I guess it’s on us to read the details, even if it’s a pain.
Stuff like rodent damage feels so random... who actually expects that?
Right? I never thought about rodents until my neighbor’s car got chewed up—wiring and all. Suddenly, I’m double-checking my policy. I do think the fine print is a pain, but it’s saved me from surprises at least once. I found “comprehensive” didn’t cover nearly as much as I assumed. It’s annoying, but reading the details upfront definitely helped me avoid a pointless claim later.
I get where you're coming from about the fine print, but I actually think it's less about the policy details and more about how insurers define “comprehensive.” You mentioned:
I found “comprehensive” didn’t cover nearly as much as I assumed.
That’s been my experience too, but I’ve noticed it really depends on the carrier. Some do include rodent damage under comprehensive, others don’t—it’s all over the place. I restore older cars, and after a friend’s classic got its wiring trashed by squirrels, I started asking every insurer specifically about animal-related claims. The answers were never consistent.
Honestly, it feels like you have to treat each policy like a negotiation. I wish there was a standard definition for “comprehensive,” but until then, I’m stuck reading every clause. Not fun, but it beats finding out the hard way that you’re not covered.
