Home Home insurance Claims Is carpenter ant damage covered by homeowners insurance? Is carpenter ant damage covered by homeowners insurance? Homeowners insurance generally doesn't cover pest related damage, though there are some exceptions. View Carriers Please enter valid zip Compare top carriers in your area Written by Ashlee Tilford Ashlee Tilford Ashlee, a former managing editor, insurance, at QuinStreet, is a journalist and business professional. She earned an MBA in 2014 with a concentration in finance. She has more than 15 years of hands-on experience in the finance industry. Reviewed by Leslie Kasperowicz Leslie Kasperowicz Leslie Kasperowicz is an insurance educator and content creation professional with nearly two decades of experience first directly in the insurance industry at Farmers Insurance and then as a writer, researcher, and educator for insurance shoppers writing for sites like ExpertInsuranceReviews.com and InsuranceHotline.com and managing content, now at Insurance.com. Updated on: September 13, 2024 Why you can trust Insure.com Quality Verified At Insure.com, we are committed to providing the timely, accurate and expert information consumers need to make smart insurance decisions. All our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. Our team carefully vets our rate data to ensure we only provide reliable and up-to-date insurance pricing. We follow the highest editorial standards. Our content is based solely on objective research and data gathering. We maintain strict editorial independence to ensure unbiased coverage of the insurance industry. Standard homeowners insurance policies don’t usually cover pest-related damage, including the damage done by carpenter ants, though there are some rare exceptions. Damage from carpenter ants and termites is viewed as an issue of maintenance; you are expected to protect your home from such infestations with regular inspections and preventative measures. As such, it’s excluded from standard home insurance policies. It’s best to take the necessary precautions to keep your house free of carpenter ants infestation, termites, moths, and other pests. Because your home insurance won’t pay out for repairs, you will be financially responsible for any damages. Key Takeaways Carpenter ant and termite damage are not covered by homeowners insurance. Damage from insects is considered a maintenance issue, and as such is generally excluded. In rare situations, some damage that is secondary to hidden damage done by pests may be covered. When does homeowners insurance cover carpenter ant damage? There are a few situations in which a homeowners policy will cover damage from animals or insects. For instance, if the damage caused a fire in your house. Other situations can make the claims process trickier. For example, if an infestation causes your roof or the foundation of your home to collapse, some homeowners insurance policies will cover the collapse of the home if hidden insect or vermin damage caused it, explains David Thompson of the Florida Association of Insurance Agents. “Hidden” means the homeowner can’t see and isn’t aware of the damage. But here’s an important distinction: the damage resulting from a collapse is covered, but the actual damage done by the insects or vermin is not. For example, say termites eat a support beam under a home and the home collapses. The cost to replace the beam is $2,000, while the damage to walls, floors, and roof trusses is about $25,000. The $2,000 beam is not covered, but the other damage is covered, Thompson says. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) suggest homeowners prevent infestation by using an approach called “integrated pest management.” It combines several methods, such as proper waste management, maintenance, and pesticides. Why doesn’t homeowners insurance cover carpenter ant damage? Most homeowners policies contain an exclusion for animal losses, meaning damage caused by birds, vermin, rodents, insects or animals owned or kept by the policyholder. Insurance companies view infestations as a home maintenance issue. For example, an annual termite inspection and treatment would head off a termite infestation that could lead to damage. If you choose not to get your home treated for termites and then get termite damage, the insurance company views that damage as a result of homeowner negligence. However, certain insect damages may be covered, so it is important to check with your homeowners insurance company. How much does carpenter ant damage cost to repair? Repair costs for carpenter ant damage varies based on the extent of the damage done. There may be structural repairs needed to the home that can really add up. According to Modernize, carpenter ants love to inhabit insulation and inner walls first and then will make their way outward to the home siding as their ant colonies grow. In other words, you’re looking at some extensive — and expensive — damage. In addition to repair of actual damages done to the home, you’ll also need to pay a pest control company to eradicate the carpenter ants from your home. Otherwise, they’ll continue wreaking havoc. There is no doubt that preventative care can save you a lot of money in the long run. QuickTake Home insurance claims: How to file and what you should know Guide to the insurance claims history report (CLUE) Does homeowners insurance cover rotting wood? How to file a successful mold claim Does homeowners insurance cover a leaking washing machine? Does homeowners insurance cover water damage? Does home insurance cover lightning strikes? Does homeowners insurance cover tornado damage? Does homeowners insurance cover mold? Does home insurance cover damage from fallen trees? Does home insurance cover roof damage from heavy snow? What is sewer backup insurance? Does homeowners insurance cover storage units? How do I find the homeowners insurance policy after a parent passes away? Does home insurance cover accidental kitchen fires? Can my homeowners insurance get canceled because my house is empty? Are pools and hot tubs covered by homeowners insurance? 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Why home insurance won't pay for disgusting problems We left a faucet turned on in my home and it caused water damage The trouble with drunk friends Homeowners premiums fluctuate with community's fire-fighting ability See more > How to prevent carpenter ant damage or other insect damage to your home In addition to regular inspections from pest experts, there are some steps you can take to protect your home. Below are some pest-prevention tips from the EPA and the NPMA. Outside your home Remove piles of wood from under or around your home to avoid attracting termites and carpenter ants. Destroy diseased plants and fallen fruit that might harbor pests. Rake fallen leaves. Keep vegetation, trees, shrubs, and wood mulch at least 18 inches away from your home. Remove tree branches that touch your home. Clean up pet droppings from your yard. Do not let litter or garbage accumulate. It draws mice, rats, and other rodents. Drain off or sweep away standing puddles of water, which are breeding places for mosquitoes and other pests. Inside your home Do not let water accumulate in or around your home. Fix leaky plumbing. Remove or dry out water-damaged and wet materials. Dampness or high humidity can attract pests. Store food in sealed glass or plastic containers. Keep your kitchen clean and free from cooking grease and oil. Do not leave food in pet bowls on the counter or floor for long periods of time. Put food scraps or trash in tightly covered, animal-proof garbage cans. Empty your garbage frequently. Caulk cracks and crevices to control pest access. Make sure doors have gaps no larger than 1/4 inch between the floor and the bottom of the door. Bathe pets regularly. Avoid storing newspapers, paper bags, and boxes for long periods of time. Check for pests in packages or boxes before carrying them into your home. Install screens on floor drains, windows, heating and air conditioning vents, and doors to discourage crawling and flying pests from entering your home. Make sure any passageways through the floor are blocked. Place weather stripping around doors and windows. Caulk and seal openings in walls. Improve ventilation in crawl spaces. Ashlee TilfordContributor  . .Ashlee, a former managing editor, insurance, at QuinStreet, is a journalist and business professional. She earned an MBA in 2014 with a concentration in finance. She has more than 15 years of hands-on experience in the finance industry. In case you missed it What is HO-6 condo insurance and how much does it cost? Average homeowners insurance cost by ZIP code in 2024 What is dwelling coverage and how much do you need? 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