On May 1, 2017, Manitoba Public Insurance issued their new Rodent Claims' brochure informing Manitobans on how to take care of a rodent infestation in vehicles.

During cooler weather, mice, squirrels and other rodents looking for shelter may take up residence in your vehicle.  Not only is this an unpleasant experience for many people but rodents can also cause a multitude of other problems such as physical damage to the interior of the vehicle, circulation of airborne transmissions, such as rodent dander, and the very slight possibility of illness.

MPI suggests taking the following precautions:

• When storing your vehicle for the winter, do not park your vehicles in tall grass.
• Do not leave food or food particles in the vehicle.
• When parking RVs or recreational trailers, remove the bbq units.
• When parking your vehicle in a garage, seal holes to the exterior of the building to keep rodents from getting in and lay traps around the vehicle.

Visual clues such as rodent droppings, shredded or chewed upholstery or insulation, chewed wires and hoses, nest materials and/or rodent carcasses are often a sign there may be damage to your vehicle. 

In the event of rodent damage take action immediately to reduce the risk of further infestation and damage.  To make a claim with Manitoba Public Insurance:

• Call MPI’s Contact Centre at 204-985-7000 or toll-free at 1-800-665-2410.
• Contact any commercial exterminator to have the occupancy area of your vehicle disinfected.
• Once the exterminator has completed the initial disinfecting, your vehicle should be inspected at a remediation shop to ensure the ventilation is not contaminated. If you need help finding a qualified remediation shop in your area, our Contact Centre or your Claims Adjuster can help you.
• The remediation shop will determine if any additional work is required beyond the initial disinfecting.

You will be required to pay the cost of your deductible on any rodent-related claim. However, any costs higher than your deductible limit will be billed directly to Manitoba Public Insurance.

If you are not making a claim with Manitoba Public Insurance, it is important that you disinfect and sanitize your vehicle properly after a rodent infestation.  MPI suggests the following steps:

• Wear gloves when disinfecting to ensure you are not directly touching any rodent droppings. If you are disinfecting in a confined area, you should also wear a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtered respirator.
• Open the windows or doors of the vehicle so that there is ventilation as you clean.
• Disinfect the affected area with a commercial disinfectant and give time for the mixture to soak in (roughly 5 minutes) before vacuuming or wiping away droppings. Be sure to test your disinfectant on a small area of your vehicle to ensure your fabrics won’t be damaged by them.
• Use a paper towel to wipe the area down and remove all droppings.
• Wash your hands with soap and water after cleaning.

For more information regarding rodent claims or the availability of a printed copy of MPI's Rodent Claim Brochure contact Team Insurance Brokers.