Many homeowners might not realize that pest infestations can significantly affect their home insurance policy. While home insurance typically covers a wide range of risks, it doesn’t always protect against damage caused by pests. Understanding the relationship between pest infestations and your insurance coverage is essential for ensuring you’re adequately protected.
1. Pests and Home Insurance: What’s Typically Covered?
Home insurance policies are designed to cover unexpected and sudden damages, like those caused by fires, storms, or vandalism. However, because pest infestations are usually considered preventable, the damage they cause is rarely covered by standard policies. This means that if termites, rodents, or other pests cause structural damage to your home, you’ll likely have to pay for the repairs out of pocket.
2. Why Pest Damage Isn’t Covered
Insurance companies view pest damage as a result of negligence or poor home maintenance. Since infestations typically occur over time rather than suddenly, they argue that homeowners have the opportunity to address the issue before it becomes severe. For this reason, pest damage is often excluded from coverage under the “wear and tear” clause of most home insurance policies.
3. Types of Damage Pest Infestations Can Cause
Pests can cause a variety of issues in your home, from structural damage to health hazards:
- Termites: As mentioned earlier, termites can weaken the structural integrity of your home, making it unsafe and expensive to repair.
- Rodents: Mice and rats can chew through wiring, potentially causing electrical fires, in addition to damaging insulation and contaminating food.
- Carpenter ants: These ants burrow through wood, similar to termites, and can cause similar types of damage.
- Birds and wildlife: Animals like raccoons and birds can damage roofing, insulation, and attic spaces while also leaving behind waste that poses health risks.
While the damage can be extensive, it’s important to remember that most of this won’t be covered by insurance.
4. How to Protect Your Home
Because insurance won’t cover pest damage, it’s up to homeowners to prevent infestations before they happen. Regular pest inspections, keeping your home clean, and sealing entry points are all essential steps in protecting your property.
At New Day Pest, we offer comprehensive pest prevention services that can help you avoid the costly repairs associated with infestations. Our team of experts uses proactive measures to ensure pests never have a chance to invade your home.
5. Working with Your Insurance Provider
If pest-related damage does occur, it’s important to work closely with your insurance provider to understand what is and isn’t covered. Some policies may offer coverage for secondary damage caused by pests, such as a fire resulting from chewed electrical wiring. Always review your policy carefully and ask your insurance agent for clarification if needed.