Squirrels can be cute, except when they take up permanent residence in your home and destroy some of your most valued items. If this happens, can you charge your insurance company for the damages caused by your unwanted tenants? Find out more as we uncover the ins and outs of insurance claims for squirrel damage.
Common damages caused by squirrel
- Increases risk of fire – Squirrels love chewing on anything they bite into and this includes electrical wires. When the electrical wires have been tampered with, there is a higher chance of fire in your property due to the exposure of the metal in the wires.
- Chewed wood chips – If there is a part of your home that is made with wood, squirrels are likely to linger around them. Regardless if it is a post or a piece of furniture, squirrels can chew on them and make the structure weaker. Attics are usually the most ideal place of residence for squirrels, which is why you may find chewed wood chips in there.
- Busted pipes – You may think that water pipes are too strong for a squirrel’s teeth, but there are several cases where squirrels have actually broken pipes. As a result, flooding may occur within the area, which can lead to water damage.
- Garden damage – Squirrels love nature and their natural instinct instructs them to feed on plants. If you have a garden that you tend to with all of your heart, squirrels may be out to destroy them. Squirrels particularly love fruits and vegetables so they tend to flock towards these plants. However, they also love digging through garden soil to hide their food.
- Health issues related to squirrel droppings – Squirrel poop can cause a variety of diseases. Since squirrels are rodents, their feces may cause leptospirosis, rabies, and other diseases. When squirrels are present, it is unavoidable to come in contact with their droppings.
Will my insurance policy cover damages caused by squirrels?
If you are wondering whether or not your basic insurance coverage policy can cover the damages caused by squirrels, you can find the answer in this section.
First, your insurance policy will cover for damages to your property provided that you weren’t negligent in your responsibilities as a homeowner. If you know that the squirrel has lived freely in your home for a long time, you are also aware of the potential damage that it may cause your home.
This is why a standard insurance policy usually excludes damages caused by rodents like a squirrel in their coverage. Most importantly, if you treat your squirrel as a pet, there is a higher chance that your insurance policy won’t cover the damage. However, your insurance policy may cover the damage depending on the situation.
For example, if there are signs of a broken pipe for months and you didn’t do anything about the damage; your policy wouldn’t cover the cost. On the contrary, if the squirrel decides to break in your home and end up destroying your window, your insurance coverage may pay for it.
Before you jump out for joy in knowing that your insurance policy can cover the damage, you have to check for your policy’s deductible. The damage caused by the squirrel could be too minimal that your insurance policy won’t cover the damage. Moreover, the damage can be too big that you might reach the coverage limit and the policy may not cover the full damage.
There really is no definite answer to the question, “Will my insurance coverage cover damages caused by a squirrel?” The answer depends on the type of policy you get and the surrounding circumstances. This is why you need to check with your insurance company and you need to make sure that you truthfully disclose all the details behind the incident.
