JoelP
Well-known member
I am writing for some insurance advice, but first some background:
While I go to my RV at least every week or two, a rat managed to invade my basement in that interval chewed a few wires. I noticed a few droppings and some acorns that were brought in. Then I noticed that my battery monitor wasn't functioning. Upon closer inspection I found that the wires were chewed. Then I found that the coach isolation relay didn't work. Upon pulling the cover for my relay compartment I found a couple more wires that had been chewed on as well as a 3" segment of wire that had the wire code corresponding to the front left slideout motor.
I set a trap and caught one very large rat the very next day. While I got my vengeance on him/her I am now dealing with the repair. My local shop told me that rodent infestation is often covered, so I filed a claim with my Good Sam policy, which I thought covered everything. I even had coverage for "open perils" which I understood to be everything that isn't specifically named.
They sent an adjuster to look at the damage, which I took as a good sign to indicate that I did, indeed, have coverage. Instead, I was informed that this was not covered since it was in storage and that rodent damage for RVs left for 3 months or longer were excluded from coverage. I called to correct this, telling them that I occupy this at least every other week for maintenance and other use.
Next, they told me that it was not a named peril. They listed the named perils which didn't include rodent damage. I had understood that open peril coverage is specifically to cover those things that aren't specifically named, but they seem to interpret this differently.
Then then they pointed to a clause that said that "Loss" was only for things that were sudden, direct and accidental and that rodent damage did not qualify as Loss.
So here is my question - for those of you who have successfully collected insurance for rodent damage:
1. Who was your insurance company?
2. Under what category was this coverage provided? (comprehensive, unnamed peril, other)?
My service provider told me that Good Sam was recently purchased by Allstate and that claims are being handled differently than in the past. They said that State Farm is now also walking away from their rodent infestation coverage. Perhaps there is still someone else who has insurance for such things. If so, I am all ears.
Thanks!
While I go to my RV at least every week or two, a rat managed to invade my basement in that interval chewed a few wires. I noticed a few droppings and some acorns that were brought in. Then I noticed that my battery monitor wasn't functioning. Upon closer inspection I found that the wires were chewed. Then I found that the coach isolation relay didn't work. Upon pulling the cover for my relay compartment I found a couple more wires that had been chewed on as well as a 3" segment of wire that had the wire code corresponding to the front left slideout motor.
I set a trap and caught one very large rat the very next day. While I got my vengeance on him/her I am now dealing with the repair. My local shop told me that rodent infestation is often covered, so I filed a claim with my Good Sam policy, which I thought covered everything. I even had coverage for "open perils" which I understood to be everything that isn't specifically named.
They sent an adjuster to look at the damage, which I took as a good sign to indicate that I did, indeed, have coverage. Instead, I was informed that this was not covered since it was in storage and that rodent damage for RVs left for 3 months or longer were excluded from coverage. I called to correct this, telling them that I occupy this at least every other week for maintenance and other use.
Next, they told me that it was not a named peril. They listed the named perils which didn't include rodent damage. I had understood that open peril coverage is specifically to cover those things that aren't specifically named, but they seem to interpret this differently.
Then then they pointed to a clause that said that "Loss" was only for things that were sudden, direct and accidental and that rodent damage did not qualify as Loss.
So here is my question - for those of you who have successfully collected insurance for rodent damage:
1. Who was your insurance company?
2. Under what category was this coverage provided? (comprehensive, unnamed peril, other)?
My service provider told me that Good Sam was recently purchased by Allstate and that claims are being handled differently than in the past. They said that State Farm is now also walking away from their rodent infestation coverage. Perhaps there is still someone else who has insurance for such things. If so, I am all ears.
Thanks!
