Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Rat or Bat Damage in Florida?
The short answer: usually not. The national insurance regulators' group says damage from rats and other infestations isn't typically covered, and a widely used sample policy form (ISO's HO-3) lists vermin and rodents as an exclusion. But policies differ, so read yours and ask your insurer before you assume anything. Call (844) 264-6254 to have the animals removed.
What the consumer guides say
- NAIC, the national association of state insurance regulators: damage caused by termites, rats or other infestations is "not typically covered" (NAIC).
- The Insurance Information Institute: a homeowners policy won't cover damage from lack of maintenance or infestation by termites or other pests, but policies vary, so check yours (III).
- A sample standard policy form: the 1999 ISO HO-3 form the III publishes lists "birds, vermin, rodents, or insects" among the causes of loss to the house and other structures it doesn't insure (sample HO-3). Your own policy may be worded differently.
Why it's usually excluded
NAIC's consumer guide puts it this way: a homeowners policy isn't a maintenance contract; it insures against perils such as fire, wind and hail (NAIC). Florida's Department of Financial Services puts it plainly: policies don't cover everything, and you need to read the exclusions in your own contract (Florida DFS).
Check your own policy for
- The exclusions section, for words like vermin, rodents, pests, insects, animals or birds.
- Ensuing loss or resulting damage language, which some policies use for damage that follows an excluded cause. How it applies, if at all, is a question for your insurer.
- Endorsements you may have added, and whether your policy is an open-peril (HO-3) or named-peril form.
- Your insurer's answer in writing. If you have questions about how your claim is handled, DFS's toll-free Insurance Consumer Helpline is 1-877-693-5236 (Florida DFS).
If you do file a claim in Florida
- Report it on time. Florida law bars a new or reopened property claim unless notice is given under the policy terms within 1 year after the date of loss, and a supplemental claim within 18 months (Fla. Stat. 627.70132).
- Protect the house. DFS says you must make reasonable emergency repairs to prevent further damage, take photos of any damaged property, and save all receipts for emergency repairs (Florida DFS). Your policy lists your other duties after a loss.
- Know the timeline. Florida's Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights gives you the right to an acknowledgment within 7 days and, within 60 days, full payment, payment of the undisputed portion, or a denial. It also gives free DFS mediation of a disputed claim under most circumstances, subject to certain restrictions (Fla. Stat. 627.7142).
What to do either way
Whatever your policy says, the animals have to go and the openings have to be closed, and that part is on the homeowner (NAIC). Photograph the damage, the droppings and the entry points before any work starts, and keep the removal paperwork. For the work itself, see rat removal and bat removal. For bats, check Florida's bat laws first: exclusion without an FWC permit is only allowed from August 15 to April 15.