When you finally find the perfect home for you and your family, all you want to do is get moved in, get settled, and start integrating your life and your new memories into your home. In order to ensure that whatever the universe throws your house’s way doesn’t break your bank account in the process, you have to also have home insurance to protect the home you put so much money, love, and hard work into. Homeowners insurance is generally known to cover damage or loss of personal property and cover liability of the owners, but questions arise when damage caused by living things that are not humans start to become apparent. The majority of homeowners insurance policies do not cover damage caused by pests. Carpenter ant infestations and the damage they can cause to homes specifically are usually not covered either, although, there are a few exceptions.
When Is Carpenter Ant Damage Covered?
In a few situations where an animal or insect infestation is the cause of major or even catastrophic damage to a home, home insurance can cover the damage. One of these exceptions is in the event that an animal or insect infestation causes a fire in a home, the fire damage would be covered by the insurance policy. Another scenario that is more likely for the case of a carpenter ant infestation is in the event of a roof or foundation collapse. If the roof or foundation of a home were to collapse due to hidden damage caused by carpenter ants, the damage caused by the collapse would be fully covered by the policy but the underlying damage done by the carpenter ants themselves would not be covered. Most homeowner’s insurance policies will cover collapse damages as long as the underlying damage was hidden and unable to have been otherwise detected or noticed by the homeowners prior to the collapse.
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How to Prevent Pest Damage
Homeowners insurance policies regard damage caused by animal or insect infestations as a maintenance issue that should be prevented and treated by the owners of the property. This stipulation is why pest damage alone is not covered under the majority of policies. Due to this distinction in coverage, it is imperative that homeowners integrate routine pest control into their home’s upkeep and maintenance. For carpenter ants specifically, it is immensely important that, if/when the infestation is discovered, the homeowners implement measures to eliminate the carpenter ants before any repairs can begin to be made. Wasting the money to fix the damage before eliminating the cause will only result in further damage and possibly more costly or more severe damage. Once pest control measures have been taken and the carpenter ants are completely gone, then repairs can be made and you can breathe a sigh of relief. Prevention is key in avoiding discrepancies with insurance or with uncovered costs that come straight out of your pocket because of an army of home-eating ants.
Also Read: Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Damage from Carpenter Bees?
