Will My Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Termite Damage?

If you’ve recently discovered termites chewing through your drywall, you may be wondering, “does my homeowner’s insurance cover termite damage?” You’re not alone! Each year, termites cause an estimated $5 million in property damage in the United States. What’s worse, a recent study found that non-native insects cost taxpayers another $1.7 billion in lost property value. If your home happens to become a termite’s next meal, you’ll be writing the check. 

Why Homeowners Insurance Will Not Cover Termite Damage

Homeowners buy home insurance to protect their property against fires, burglaries, accidents, and natural disasters. Even though termites are a part of nature, the main reason insurance companies will not cover termite damage is because a bug infestation is preventable. 

Generally, home insurance coverage boils down to things that happened outside of your control, and if you made every effort to stop the problem. Parameters for damage done by insects are going to be looked at as something that has been going on for an extended amount of time. Unlike a fire, a termite infestation won’t happen overnight. 

Insurers also argue that having a termite problem isn’t deemed an accident, but a maintenance issue, usually preventable with a pest control treatment.

Collateral Damage Caused by Termites 

While your insurer won’t cover direct damage caused by termites, they will cover collateral damage. In other words, any problems that are a direct result of termite damage will not be covered, but if a wall was damaged by the beam that the termites damaged, that will be covered as the result of a faulty beam.

How You Can Protect Yourself 

Unfortunately, insurance companies are not concerned with insect damage to homes and are adding to the list of problems that are not covered by homeowner’s insurance. The best way you can protect yourself is to prevent infestation in the first place.

• Schedule regular professional pest control treatments to keep insects and other pests off of your properties.
• Check the inside of your home routinely for signs of an infestation. If you notice droppings, frass, or other signs indicative of a termite problem, call us ASAP.
• Always do a thorough examination when buying a new home.

Unlike insurance companies, we’ve got you covered in the event of a termite infestation. Take the first step to guard your home against pests––call Vulcan Termite and pest Control today.