Will Homeowners Insurance Pay for Raccoon Damage?

Introduction
Raccoons can cause serious damages to your house and in particular to your attic in case they gain entry and establish a den. Such damage include holes in the roof, ripped off ducts/insulations and stained/damaged ceiling. The damage can be serious necessitating a complete overhaul of the roof. This is why it is important to ascertain whether or not your homeowner insurance policy provides cover for damage caused by wild animals in case you live in an area with raccoons.

Homeowner Insurance
A standard homeowner insurance policy generally provides for four types of coverage considered very essential. They include:

• House structure – A standard policy pays the cost of rebuilding or repairing your house in case of damage, which should ideally include damage caused by wild animals such as raccoons. The cover does not extend to damage caused by such natural calamities as earthquake and floods. Most standard policies include damage to such extensions as garage.
• Personal Belongings – Standard policies generally cover such personal belongings as furniture and clothes against theft, fire and hurricane. Some policies cover such valuable items as art works, jewelry and silverware. Since raccoons are not pets, any damage they cause to your personal belongings should be covered.
• Liability – Most standard policies protect you against lawsuits for body injury and property damage that non-family members can sustain while in your home. This extends to body injury or damage caused by any of your pet. Because raccoons are not pets, any body injury or property damage they cause to non-family members is an accident and should be covered.
• Extra living expenses – Standard policies cover any additional living expenses you may incur while not at home due to circumstances beyond your control. Raccoon infestation is a serious health risk and you temporarily be forced to live elsewhere as animal services department removes them. Your policy should provide cover for this.

More Coverage
It is always a good idea to remain on the safe side when it comes to choosing the most appropriate type of homeowner insurance policy. It is also always good to ask questions before you pen your signature on a policy before ascertaining whether or not it covers damages caused by wild animals including raccoons. It may be necessary to add coverage options just in case a policy you are interested in does not provide for raccoon damage coverage.

Conclusion
Although most standard homeowner insurance policies cover damage caused by wild animals, it is very important that you be sure of the same before you buy. You also need to consider the most common homeowner insurance claims that are often filed in your area. Understanding such claims will assist you in choosing the right type of policy that will also cover damages caused by raccoons.