Mice eat wiring, SGI pays $25K amid hantavirus fears
Court hears concerns over deadly virus meant SUV couldn't be repaired
An SUV that had its electrical wiring chewed on by mice was written off by Saskatchewan Government Insurance after concerns were raised about hantavirus.
A recent Regina court case contained details of the 2014 incident in which mice infested a 2008 Land Rover and knocked out the electrical system.
"SGI felt that the vehicle should be written off," the decision posted May 10 on the Canlii legal database says.
"Their investigation revealed that a significant portion of the electrical wiring had been eaten through by mice."
For health and safety reasons, repairing the vehicle was not an option.
"Because there were mouse droppings in and throughout the vehicle, it could not be fixed for fear of contracting hantavirus, a particularly deadly virus found in mouse droppings," the decision said.
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SGI eventually paid the owner just under $25,000 — which it felt was the fair market value of the vehicle.
The insurer paid the claim because, in their view, "the loss of the vehicle arose by virtue of accidental means rather than as a result of mechanical failure."
Illnesses caused by hantavirus have resulted in 10 deaths in Saskatchewan since 1994.
The virus is spread through deer mouse droppings.