(Motorsport-Total.com/Motor1) – Now it’s biting: the martens are back on the road. The small predators love the narrow space under the hood. Especially when the engine is still warm. The main time for marten bites is in May and June, when the animals are looking for a partner.
What is typical marten damage?
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Martens react particularly snappy to the smell of a supposed competitor who has left his scent mark. Motorists with street garages must expect martens to let off steam in the following places in the engine compartment:
– Ignition cables, brake and cooling water hoses
– other plastic hoses
– Insulation of power lines
– Bellows on drive shafts and steering
46,000 insurance claims due to marten attacks last year
As the HUK-Coburg insurance company reports, eliminating the attacks costs an average of 465 euros. In the top even repairs of more than 2500 euros are necessary. There were more than 46,000 cases with the insurer from Franconia last year alone. Its regulatory costs amounted to around EUR 16.3 million.
But a marten bite can not only be expensive, it can also be dangerous. The damage often goes unnoticed because the sharp, small teeth of the predators only leave punctures the size of a pin. Consequential damage can occur quite quickly while driving, for example to the engine. A look at the coolant temperature gauge helps: If the pointer goes into the red area, a look under the bonnet is essential.
What does the insurance pay?
Damage caused by martens is often – but not always – included in the partially comprehensive insurance. In most cases, the insurance cover does not only apply to marten damage, but generally to damage caused by animal bites. Important for the insurance protection: It should not only cover the immediate damage, i.e. the bitten hoses.
The consequential damage is usually expensive if the engine or the brakes are affected. Some insurers also insure these consequential damages up to a sum of 20,000 euros. If you are unsure, you should ask your car insurer.
If the small predator has tampered with the hoses and cables of cars, camping vehicles or motorcycles, the fully comprehensive insurance will of course also take effect. However, the following applies here: Whoever reports damage deteriorates in the no-claims category.
How can you drive away martens?
There is no miracle cure that keeps martens away from the engine compartment. Various household remedies, which are often mentioned, may help briefly, but only until the animal has gotten used to the smell of the toilet block, mothballs, bags with dog or cat hair, marten repellent sprays and the like.
Car owners who want to save themselves all the hassle of breakdowns and repairs can at least make it harder for the marten to bite. Stable cable sheaths for endangered components from specialist retailers are effective and inexpensive. In addition, special devices for sealing off the engine compartment – such as those offered by some car companies – spoil the little predator’s fun with cables, insulating mats and water hoses.
Electroshock devices are among the more effective marten defense devices. Sounds cruel at first, but does not pose any danger to animals or humans. The places where the marten typically gets into the engine compartment are provided with metal plates that are live.
If the marten touches this, it gets a slight electric shock, like a pasture fence. This frightens the marten and drives him to flee. However, we strongly recommend that you have the installation carried out by a specialist workshop.
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Occasional engine washes should also help. They are particularly important if you have just been damaged by a marten or you have noticed that an animal has been in your engine compartment (paw prints, droppings). The wash removes any odors from the engine compartment that attract other martens.
What: HUK Coburg
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