Are you worried about animal damage repair to your house? If you have wildlife looking to make a nest in your roof or attic, you might be concerned about the scope of damage. Additionally, you might wonder, “Does insurance cover animal damage?”. This question confuses many people (and for good reason!).
For starters, raccoons do more than
go through your trash. They try to nest in your house and can destroy part of your roof as they attempt to get inside. As a result, raccoon roof damage can be significant — and costly. They’re known to pull your vents apart, along with soffits. But the damage doesn’t stop there.
When raccoons enter your home, they can rip apart your insulation and even chew wires, creating a fire hazard. Their urine and feces also contaminate your home, which means you need to have them humanely removed and then handle costly, and time-consuming, repairs.
But does home insurance cover animal damage for raccoons and other kinds of wildlife? Let’s take a look.
Squirrel Chewed a Hole in the Roof
In this instance, does homeowners insurance cover animal damage? Most likely, no.
This doesn’t mean that homeowners insurance never covers animal damage. It just means that damage caused by
squirrels and other rodents isn’t typically covered. Since these types of infestations are thought to be something you can prevent, insurance won’t pay out any money towards repairs.
If bears or deer damage your property, however, your homeowners insurance may pay for a claim. However, small animals usually don’t qualify for any type of reimbursement. This means that you should invest in
preventative pest control before a small animal causes a large issue.
Raccoons Infested Your Attic
If a raccoon got into your home and caused damage, a homeowners insurance policy may pay to repair some of the damage — but not all. It has to be evaluated by an
insurance adjuster.
Should a raccoon destroy your roof, for example, you may be able to have repairs covered. The same goes for damage to your attic or any other parts of your home that are important to its structural integrity.
Keep in mind that if a raccoon gets into your attic and damages any personal items — such as furniture, clothes, or even electronics — your homeowners probably won’t cover it.
Other Types of Animal Damage
There are other instances where homeowners may pay for repairs. If a deer damages your exterior doors, garage, shed, or fence, you might be able to file a claim. You’d want to see what kind of “Other Structure Coverage” your policy offers.
This type of coverage applies to anything that isn’t your home — such as fences.
Prevent Animal Damage Repair Today
Whether a squirrel chewed a hole in the roof of your house or a raccoon made a nest in your attic, homeowners insurance most likely won’t cover the cost of any animal damage repair. Since homeowners insurance companies see the vast majority of animal damage as preventable, it’s wise to invest in preventative pest control services.
Serene Property Services can create a plan specifically for your home — we’ll provide routine pest removal maintenance to help keep critters from causing damage to your home. We also provide a wide variety of other residential pest removal services in Sparta, NJ, and the surrounding areas of Sussex County, NJ, and Warwick, NY.
Contact us today to see how we can help with your pest control needs.
