We may well be in the middle of winter, but the weather so far has not been all bad. With the real wintry weather—snow and ice—just around the corner, uninvited guests could soon be on their way around and they’re not the type to knock first.

Mice and other rodents will look for brick buildings to find shelter from the freezing conditions. They’ll look to your home for food and, if they haven’t already made one, a nest for their offspring, and they can leave a path of destruction in their quest.

You might not notice pests have invaded your home at first but in no time, wires could be chewed and your appliances and even your electric could become an issue.

But don’t worry, your home insurance will cover that, right?

Not always. Most standard home insurance policies won’t cover damage caused by pests. This is because a pest infestation is deemed poor home maintenance and the onus is on you to take preventative measures.

Pest damage can be added as an optional extra to your home insurance policy and could save you a lot of time, effort and money in the long-run. However, there are some simple steps you can also take to help reduce these premiums.

Top tips

Anticipate. Try to keep on top of regular home maintenance and ensure any holes leading into your home are secured. Work on the basis that you expect pests to try their luck.

If you have pets, there’s a good chance they will spot the uninvited guest before you, especially if the pests are in difficult to get to areas such as behind a cooker or fridge.

Use pest control such as traps or poison. Place them in the areas you know the pests are coming from. Naturally, take care when using poison and traps if you do have pets of your own.

Try to ensure wires, insulation and plaster are not loose or exposed. Mice will look for insulation and use it as bedding, which could make your appliance cut out for safety reasons.

If a pest has caused damage, check your home insurance policy thoroughly. Read over the wording as it’ll tell you whether or not you added pest damage as an optional extra.

If a pest has caused damage to a specific appliance, check your manufacturer warranty. If you’re still in warranty, they could have an aftercare service which installs parts or finds a replacement for free.

Conclusion

Of course, if you live in a rural area, there’s a higher chance that pests will enter your home. Sometimes, it feels like no matter how much home maintenance you do, there’s just no avoiding an infestation.

If you want to avoid bills caused by species of the rodential kind, we could help by equipping your policy with extra cover. We have lots of experience assisting our home insurance clients and can provide cover for all manner of houses, flats and more.

To find out more, speak to our team now on 02920 626 226 or email insurance@watkindavies.com