Pests and home insurance: what reimbursement?

If home insurance is essential to cover your home, is it useful in the event of problems linked to the presence of pests? For example, does home insurance work for bed bugs or rodent damage? If not, is the extermination intervention the responsibility of the owner or the tenant? In order to have all the useful information in the event of an infestation, Selectra visits the owner… with insecticide in hand, of course!

Housing and pests: who are the little creatures that invite themselves into our homes?

Whether you live in an apartment or a house, daily comfort can quickly be disrupted by the presence of pests in the home. These animals, generally small creatures whose company we prefer to avoid, can take up residence in private homes, and the consequences are hardly happy.

Tell me what your pest is and I'll tell you who you are?

Faced with the untimely invasion of pests in a home, it is not uncommon to want to blame behaviors that could have led to such a situation. However, this reflex must be prevented, because the first thing to do before taking any action is to identify the problem, the origins of which can be diverse.

The pests most likely to take up residence in someone's home are:

• Blattoptera : these are the most common, like cockroaches and other cockroaches, which love heat and dark corners. Their invasion is generally rapid and progresses exponentially, without us necessarily realizing it since these animals only come out at night. Although these beasts seem more unpleasant than threatening, it is important to note that they can potentially transmit diseases. In this category, we also find termites, whose activities can be devastating since their food is: wood.
• Carnivores : undoubtedly rarer and specific to the house, the presence of martens in a home can have catastrophic consequences such as the deterioration of the insulating structures of the home.
• Rodents : we find rats there, obviously, but more generally mice. Rodents are also fairly common pests, the multiplication of which can quickly turn into a nightmare. In the worst-case scenario, the tampering of electrical wires by a rodent can result in a fire.
• Siphonaptera : or, as they are more generally called, fleas. All people whose homes contain pets are likely to cross their paths regularly. Although fleas prefer to spend their time on a specific victim – the dog or cat in the house – they lay eggs everywhere, particularly in fabrics and parquet floors. In addition, they can also be the source of skin irritation in humans.

If a home is infested with pests, it is essential to first identify them. Indeed, in certain cases, the simple use of an insecticide or traps can be enough to eliminate them.

In the case where a person lives in a building, the question presents itself differently: Am I the only one infested, or does this affect the entire building? In the latter case, insecticide and traps will not be enough. It is then imperative to report the problem to the building's co-ownership association, which will then be able to involve professionals.

The “new” pests to fear: bedbugs

Today, the number one enemy is bedbugs. In France, until a few years ago, these were relatively unknown. Now, many people fear them, particularly in the Paris region.

Bedbugs are a real nuisance. Literally. Generally brought back during trips, they are transported by people without them sometimes realizing it. Their favorite places? Dark, preferably. The bed, the box spring, the carpets: all are affected. Their presence can also give rise to skin irritations and even allergic reactions in humans.

If individuals fear bedbugs so much, it is not without reason. They are very difficult to eliminate, and almost systematically, recourse to experts will be necessary. According to figures from the Chambre syndicale des industries, in 2016 alone in Île-de-France, 180,000 infected places were treated.

Faced with bedbugs, solutions exist and some good reflexes can be adopted before professional intervention: “ When it comes to simple and inexpensive methods, the vacuum cleaner comes out on top. As long as you pass it regularly, not forgetting the plinths, corners, under carpets and armchairs. Throw away the bag immediately. Carefully inspect your mattress, including the seams. Wash the sheets and, if possible, put them in the dryer, the heat of which will kill any insects that survived the wash. Another cheap weapon: insecticides “. The Federal Consumers' Union also recalls that in terms of the price for pest control by an expert, the service for a standard apartment must not exceed 250 euros.

Home insurance and bedbugs: acting in the long termIn the event of a widespread infestation in a building for example, local treatment will be of little use. Its effect will undoubtedly be temporarily positive, but in the long term, the problem will not be resolved.

Home insurance: pests present, what to do?

In the event that pests enter a home, and once personal recourse has been eliminated, what solutions are available to individuals to resolve the problem? Does home insurance come into play for the extermination of small animals? As soon as the threat is identified, whether it only concerns one person's home or, on the contrary, the building or the entire neighborhood, it is time to take action.

Pests: individual remedies to eliminate them

Before deploying big solutions and teams of experts, it is sometimes possible to get rid of the problem yourself. Some remedies are easy to access, but their implementation must always scrupulously follow the instructions on the instructions for the products purchased for the occasion:

• Insecticides : obviously very practical, they are also often powerful. Their use must therefore be done in ideal conditions, respecting the instructions indicated. If cockroaches, fleas and other cockroaches come into your home, using an insecticide can sometimes be enough to eliminate them and prevent them from reproducing.
• The traps : these can specifically prove useful for rodents and carnivores. However, someone who does not want to kill these animals will absolutely have to resort to alternative solutions, generally offered by professionals, but not only that.
• Repellents : these are therefore the famous alternative solutions, also making it possible to prevent a possible infestation. In the form of grids or sprays, repellents sometimes prove effective and prevent killing animals.

Each solution chosen must be truly adapted to the situation. If in doubt, it is imperative to call on professionals to take care of the extermination of pests.

Home and pest insurance: the case of owners and tenants

A person living in an individual house, that is to say in the accommodation they own, will always be responsible for the extermination costs. – if the presence of pests does not extend beyond your own home. On the other hand, an owner living in a co-ownership must imperatively alert the building association about a possible infestation. In this specific case, experts are contacted and the threat assessed, subsequently allowing the costs to be distributed equitably between those concerned.

For tenants, the situation is obviously different. It is indeed the owner-lessor who must deal with the problem, once it is reported to him. – and this is imperative. All procedures will be his responsibility, and the costs incurred as part of an intervention are therefore his responsibility, and not that of his tenant – this is regulated by the law of July 6, 1989, article 6, which notably obliges the proper maintenance of the tenant's living space by its owner-lessor:

The lessor is required to provide the tenant with decent accommodation that does not reveal any obvious risks that could harm physical safety or health, free from any infestation of harmful and parasitic species, meeting a minimum energy performance criterion and equipped with elements making it suitable for residential use.

Disinfestation, the responsibility of the tenant and the owner: what costs and for whom?In certain cases, an owner-lessor can demand reimbursement from his tenant for the products necessary for the intervention, but he will pay for the labor in any case. It is important, when you are involved in this type of situation, to obtain proper information in advance.

Home and pest insurance: what are you covered for?

Does home insurance come into play in the event of major pest problems? Whether you are an owner or a tenant, the answer is: no.

Generally, a home insurance contract with traditional guarantees will only cover the consequences of identified losses. In principle, we therefore find cases of fire, water damage or natural disasters.

If a person is interested in possible coverage for damage caused by pests, they should contact their insurer or other insurance companies. This is the only solution to know their offers, and to know if they offer warranty extensions in this direction, covering in particular damage caused by wild animals, insects, micro-organisms, parasites and rodents. You should therefore not hesitate to compare comprehensive home insurance offers specifically with pests in mind, and take the time to do your research.

Home insurance: pests forgotten, but not by communitiesDespite the lack of coverage for damage caused by pests, it is possible for individuals to consult the various services offered by their local authorities. Indeed, some of them act at the regional level and can support people in the face of pest infestations.

Home insurance: bedbugs, cockroaches and other pests… and the professionals?

If home insurance does not cover infestations and damage caused by pests in private homes, professionals can still try to limit costs.

Professional liability insurance – in certain cases compulsory – is particularly essential if you wish to use an insurance-approved exterminator.

Although this insurance does not strictly speaking cover damage caused by pests, it allows policyholders to be compensated in two specific cases: material damage and bodily injury, which may occur during the disinfestation operation. Professional civil liability covers, among other things, the various necessary equipment and products.