Will My Homeowners Insurance Cover Damage From Animals?
An important part of taking care of your home and protecting your investment as well as your family and your possessions is home insurance. This insurance helps protect your home and property and is an important part of being a homeowner that needs to be taken very seriously. To find the best options for insurance coverage in your area, you need to find a list of home insurance companies that offer the coverage you need at a level and price that fits your lifestyle and your specific goals.
You can contact your local insurance companies to talk about the options and learn about home insurance packages and discounts that they may have available for you to choose from. You can also check online for affordable home insurance reviews from past customers to find something that matches your needs as well as your expectations. And finally, you can look at local business listings for insurance companies in your area, or you can tell your smart device to ‘search for affordable homeowners insurance near me’ and go from there to find the coverage you need.
Destructive animals are everywhere and damage from animals can be very costly to repair. From holes in the walls from unwanted rodents to droppings in the attic because of a squirrel infestation, you want to get animal removal on the job immediately when you notice critters making their home in yours. If you do have damage from animals, what can you do? Is damage from animals covered by your home insurance? Here’s what you need to know:
Check Before the Destruction Happens
Before you experience any damage from animals, be sure to carefully look at your homeowners insurance policy and find out what is covered and what is not. In some cases any damage to the dwelling or structure will be covered. For other things, such as a fence or shed, coverage may only apply if the structure is actually attached to the main home.
You’ll also want to find out about your deductible and your coverage limits. Your deductible will tell you how much you will have to pay out-of-pocket, while the coverage limit tells you how much total damage your insurance policy will actually take care of.
Find Out About Exclusions
You may have some exclusions for certain types of damage from animals. Be sure to find out about these before anything happens. For example, many policies will cover damage to the structure itself but not to items within the structure that may be damaged as a result of animal intrusion.
Squirrels are capable of chewing through nearly anything, so if some chew their way into your garage, your homeowners policy may very well cover that damage. But if you don’t notice the squirrel infestation and rain leaks through the holes they’ve made and damages items you have stored in the garage, you may have to replace those items at your own expense. You’ll also want to make sure that you call for rodent removal immediately when you realize you have a problem. You don’t want your insurance company refusing to cover damage because you were negligent.
Most homeowner insurance policies also will not cover cleanup, which can be extensive if animals leave their droppings all throughout your home. And be aware that damage from animals you own, such as a dog or cat, is almost never covered.
Can Wild Animals Really Do That Much Damage?
At this point, you may be wondering if this is really something you should be concerned about. Can wild animals actually be all that big of a problem? The answer is a resounding yes. Groundhogs are capable of tearing up the soil around your house so quickly that they can actually ruin your foundation. Possums can get into your attic and rip up insulation while they chew through electrical wires, putting you at high risk for fire. Squirrels can chew through anything, and you may experience extensive water damage from their intrusions. If they chew through your electrical wires within the walls, tearing through your walls in order to have that fixed can be extremely costly.
How Can I Avoid Issues in The First Place?
If you notice any wild animal hanging around your home, call wildlife removal. Raccoons may look cute, but if they start nesting they can destroy your home. You also want to do everything you can to make it difficult for animals to get in. Make sure your fencing is good and that there are no obvious holes around your porch or crawlspace that skunks and other unwanted critters might get in through.
If you notice squirrels or rodents hanging out around your house, call to find out about your options for getting them removed. Make sure that you don’t leave pet food and garbage out, particularly at night, where they might attract unwanted attention. Be aware that an unsecured garage is not good enough: lots of wild animals will still be able to get in, and will do so if they’re motivated by the presence of food or water.
Damage from animals can be costly and time consuming to fix, so do what you can to prevent the problem in the first place. Make sure you know what your insurance will cover, and then stay vigilant.