Unfortunately for homeowners whose properties are swarmed by bees, most insurance policies exclude damage from insect infestations, including carpenter bees. Infestations count as a maintenance issue rather than a covered peril, so you are on your own to repair bee damage and pay an exterminator.
Insurance companies design homeowners insurance policies to cover one-time events, such as storms, fires, or burglaries. These rare but costly perils usually occur once in a very long while, so insurance companies can afford to pay for the hefty damages they sometimes cause. However, bee infestations occur slowly over time, as do other insect infestations, such as those caused by ants, termites, and other bugs.
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Bees and other insects can cause tremendous damage over time. They burrow into critical structures and weaken them, eventually resulting in significant damage. Because of the havoc they wreak, removing these insects from your home is critical. Hundreds or thousands of dollars in repairs are often needed. For this reason, having an exterminator visit your home to spray on an annual basis is a wise investment.
What Do You Do if You Have a Carpenter Bee Infestation?
If carpenter bees have invaded your home, take the following steps:
- Determine the bee species. Is it a carpenter bee or something else, such as a honeybee, wasp, or hornet?
- Count the nests and determine the access points.
- Estimate how long the bees have been there. Though you may not know exactly, you can find out how long that type of bee has been in your area.
4. Call in a professional beekeeper or pest control.
If you have a carpenter bee infestation, you should call a local beekeeper or a pest control company specializing in bees. The same applies to other infestations, such as wasps, hornets, or other forms of bees.
How Much Does It Cost to Remove a Beehive?
A small colony may only cost between $100 and $250 to remove and relocate. The key to keeping the price low is finding the hive early. If it has time to expand into a grand colony, the costs rise substantially.
Several other factors contribute to the cost, such as the following:
- The size of the colony
- The type of bees
- The hive location
- The ease of accessibility
Costs tend to lower if just swarm removal is required. Large beehives embedded inside walls or attics can be expensive to have removed.
Does a Home Warranty Cover Bee Removal?
While homeowners insurance companies exclude bee removal, many home warranty policies provide limited pest control coverage. The amount of the benefit varies by the company and region.
However, honeybee infestations are usually excluded from home warranties. Despite this, many include pest management plans that cover infestation remediation for the following insects::
- Moths
- Silverfish
- Scorpions
- Cockroaches
- Non-poisonous spiders
- Earwigs
- Paper Wasps
- House Ants
- Millipedes
- Centipedes
- House Crickets
What About Termites?
Homeowners insurance covers sudden, accidental losses. Termite damage fails to meet that criterion because their damage occurs over many months or years. As such, insurance companies consider them a maintenance issue and provide no coverage.
Rare Circumstances Where Termite Damage Is Covered
Termite damage may be covered under specific situations. For example, if termites gnaw through electrical wiring and cause a fire, your homeowners insurance pays for the fire damage because it’s a covered peril.
Bees can be a nuisance and a safety threat. Therefore, removing them should be a top priority if they have infested your home. Unfortunately, homeowners insurance provides no coverage for this type of event because pest control is a maintenance issue. However, if you have a home warranty, you may receive some benefits from that policy. Either way, ridding your home of bees is of critical importance.
