Protecting Your Home: Understanding Insurance Coverage for Pest Infestations

Pests are common in American homes. Researchers say 14 million homeowners report seeing roaches, and 148 million report seeing rodents.[1] These pests can cause intense damage. Unfortunately, pest infestations and homeowners insurance don’t always intertwine. 

Homeowners are typically required to foot at least some of the bill themselves when it comes to pest infestations. Your insurance company might help with issues that are sudden and unexpected (like termites after a fire). 

Few standard homeowner policies will cover issues like extermination, cleanup, and damage repair.

If you see pest evidence inside or outside of your home, take action. Block out spots where they can enter, and use chemicals to kill the invaders. Your quick action could keep a few bugs from causing intense damage that your insurance company won’t cover. 

Pests & Home Insurance: A Deep Dive 

Homeowners insurance is designed for incidents that are sudden and unexpected.[2] Sometimes, pest infestations fall into this category. Often, they do not. This chart can make the problems clear: 

	What damage can they cause?	Is it typically covered?	Are there exceptions?
Termites	Weakened foundations, walls, and roofs	No	Yes. If the termites enter a home weakened by a covered event, the damage might also be covered.
Rodents	Contamination, food loss, chewed building materials, and electrical fires	No	Yes. A fire caused by a rodent chewing on wires might be covered.
Bees	Hives and honey within walls that cause significant damage	Sometimes	Yes. The damage must be sudden, and the homeowner must have no knowledge of the hive.
Ants	Significant damage to wooden structures	Sometimes	Yes. The damage must be sudden, and the homeowner must have no knowledge of the ant’s presence.
Cockroaches	Structural damage, and health hazards	No	No
Bedbugs	Bites, infections, and ruined personal property (like furniture)	No	Yes. Some policies will cover replacement of damaged property.

What Types of Pest Damage Are Typically Covered?

Homeowners policies cover damage both inside and outside your home.[3] Pests can ruin both types of things. Whether or not the damage is covered depends on your policy. 

Most standard homeowners insurance policies will cover the following types of pest issues:

• Damage caused by sudden infestations: If a swarm of bees enters your home one day, and you’ve never seen bees before, the structural damage they cause could be covered. 
• Issues caused by unknown pests: If you have always inspected your home and had no idea that you have ants in your attic, the damage caused could be covered. 
• Damage from pests that enter your home after a covered event: If your home has caught fire and rodents entered in holes the firefighters made, their damage could be covered. 
• Sudden damage from long-lasting pests: If the rats in your attic chew through wires and cause a fire, that damage could be covered. 

What Types of Pest Damage Are Not Typically Covered?

Homeowners insurance is designed for losses that are sudden and unexpected.[2] Some pest infestations can cause this type of issue. 

Types of damage that aren’t typically covered include the following:

• Costs associated with removing nests and debris: Policies typically have specific exclusions, so insurance companies won’t pay to clean up honey, feces, urine, and other messes.[4] 
• Fees related to treating health issues: If cockroaches, bedbugs, and other critters cause sickness, your home insurance policy will likely not help. 
• Costs associated with fumigation: Home insurance companies rarely provide compensation for the chemicals and traps you need to get pests out of your home. 

What’s Your Pest Responsibility as a Homeowner?

Researchers say pest populations are increasing due to climate change.[5] It’s likely that every homeowner will deal with unwanted visitors at least once. It’s critical to pay attention to your home and remove pests when you can. 

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers homeowners the following tips:[6]

• Apply pest prevention. Remove food and water sources, store food safely, fix leaks, and reduce clutter. Block off parts of your home where pests can enter and hide. 
• Perform pest inspections. Look for evidence of critters inside your home. If you spot signs like chewing, droppings, or carcasses, understand what kind of infestation you have.
• Use baits and pesticides. Remove pests with species-specific chemicals, and always follow the instructions carefully. Don’t use chemicals inside when they’re designed for outdoor use. 
• Get outside help. If you still see evidence of pests in the home, hire an exterminator to help you remove them. This kind of work is often best left to professionals.

If you must hire a pest control contractor, ask the following questions before you make a final selection:[6]

1. How many years have you been in business?
2. Will you provide me with references?
3. Will the person doing the work be certified and licensed? 
4. What pesticides will you use?
5. How much will the project cost? 
6. How often will you perform routine inspections and treatments? 

Will a Pest Policy Help?

As pests become more common and mitigation costs rise, some insurance companies are responding by creating specific riders and policies involving pests.[7] If you live in a neighborhood with plenty of pests, this type of coverage could be smart. 

Ensure that your pest policy has full coverage for the pest types most common in your area. For example, if you know that termites are common in your neighborhood, make sure you buy a plan that doesn’t specifically exclude them.

Before you sign on the dotted line of a pet policy, ensure that you don’t have help from another source. For example, Anthem health insurance offers pest coverage as part of some healthcare plans.[8] You may get help from a source you just never expected, so it’s worth the effort to do your research.

How to File a Pest Claim 

If you have pest insurance coverage, you must file a claim as soon as you see any evidence of infestation. Any delays could indicate to the insurance company that you don’t take the problem seriously and, therefore, shouldn’t get paid. 

Follow these tips to ensure the fastest pest claim process possible:

• Document the damage. Take photos and videos of everything that’s been touched by pests. Take wide-angle images, and focus tightly on spots that are harder to see. Check each image for clarity before you move on.
• Work with your adjuster. Your insurance company will send an adjuster to examine the damage in person and determine what losses are covered. 
• Don’t remove anything without asking first. You may be tempted to dump everything that’s been touched by bugs. Remember your company can’t compensate you for the damage they don’t see. 
• Ask for a second opinion, if needed. If your insurance company won’t pay for damage you’re sure is covered, notify your agent and explain your side. Together, you could come to a compromise. 

Keep Pests Out of Your Home 

The best way to protect your home from pests is to be proactive. Inspect your property regularly, and use chemicals when needed to keep the bugs away from your investments. 

Examine your policy too. You may discover that things you thought were covered are not. Talk with your agent about adding policies that could enhance your protection.