The insurance for homeowners generally will cover damage to wildlife caused by animals such as bears or deer. Smaller pets such as rodents and squirrels typically aren’t covered by the home insurance policy since the infestations are considered to be preventable. If the damage from wild animals is covered, it typically only covers the structure of your home. Personal property insurance typically excludes damages caused by wild animals. Therefore, the personal items that wild animals damage generally won’t be covered.

Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Aro... Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Around

The problem is that squirrel damage isn’t covered under homeowners insurance as it’s thought to be preventable. It’s not uncommon for squirrels to find the attic of a house and damage insulation, beams, and electrical wires during the process. Here are some suggestions to keep squirrels out of entering your attic:

• Remove tree limbs from the roofline of your house
• Be sure to cover the chimney cap, vents in attics, and exhaust fan vents
• Eliminate possible sources of food and water from your property like feeders and birdbaths

Damage caused by rodents and rats is usually not covered under your home insurance policy either. As with squirrels, these little creatures are likely to establish their homes and slowly increase in size over a lengthy period of time. As a result, your insurer will consider the damage to be preventable and requires you to take the necessary measures to get rid of infestations prior to causing damage to your property.

Wildlife damage can be covered by the dwelling coverage as well as “other structures” coverage. Your dwelling insurance protects your home’s structure and everything attached to it, for example, garages that are attached. The structure coverage also protects separate structures that are on your property, such as sheds or fences.

If a deer damaged your fence you could submit a claim to the other structures coverage in order to be reimbursed for repairs costs, less your deductible. Like many homeowner insurance claims, it is possible that you might need to provide photographs of the damage before your claim is approved.