Are Property Damages Due To Pests Covered By Insurance?
Dealing with different types of household pests is an unfortunate fact of life for residents of Daytona Beach. In addition to posing serious hazards to your health, some can cause extensive damage to your home and property. Are property damages in Daytona Beach due to pests covered by insurance? This depends on the type of damage done and why it occurred.
Common Pests That Can Cause Damage To Your Home
Pests can prevent you, your family, and visitors to your home from being able to relax indoors. Some, such as spiders and roaches, can potentially impact your health. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advises using caution in attempting to rid your home of these creatures, as common over-the-counter pesticides can prove dangerous as well.
It is important to take steps to prevent infestations, as some pests can cause serious property damages. Among the most common and potentially destructive include:
- Termites: With their ability to infest and cause widespread damage to structural features in and around your home while going largely undetected, termites are one of the most dreaded pests among homeowners.
- Mice and rats: In addition to potentially carrying disease, these and other rodents can chew through your insulation, wiring, plumbing, wood beams, and walls, wreaking major havoc throughout your home.
- Carpenter bees: Carpeting bees can drill through decks, porches, and other wood features, affecting structural integrity and rendering these areas unusable.
Will My Property Damage Insurance Cover Losses Due To Pests
Property damage insurance covers unexpected losses due to adverse events such as storms, fire, sinkholes, vandalism, and theft. Coverage.com states that your policy will generally not cover extermination costs, repairs, or losses associated with pest problems, as these are typically considered preventable expenses. Homeowners are expected to take actions to prevent infestations, such as having an exterminator come to your home regularly and eliminating clutter or other conditions that make pest problems more likely to happen.
There is a notable exception to this in regards to your homeowner’s insurance coverage. This is when pests cause unexpected damage due to conditions beyond your control. Examples include:
- Termite damages in which these pests entered your home due to undetected storm-damaged areas;
- Damages caused by carpenter bees who were attracted to rotting wood caused by heavy rains or flooding;
- Situations in which mice or rats chew through wiring, resulting in a house fire.
Generally, if the underlying problem was caused by a covered event and not due to a lack of preventative maintenance, it may be covered by your property damage insurer.
Contact Us Today for Help
Property damages caused by pests can leave you paying thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses. To find out whether these costs may be covered by your property insurance, reach out to Bundza & Rodriguez. Give us a call or contact our office online and request a consultation with our Daytona Beach property damage attorney to discuss your case today.
