To some, rats are furry, loveable creatures but to others they are vermin that can spread disease and cause irreparable damage. Rats can cause no shortage of problems to homes including wires, pipes and even wooden joists and brickwork so will you be covered if a rat attacks?
There have been some horrendous stories involving rats causing havoc in homes across the UK including one case in 2006 when a woman was crushed to death by rubble after rats gnawed their way through gas piping causing her home to explode. While that was admittedly an extreme case it is estimated that rats cause around seven per cent of home fires in the UK.
Many homeowners assume that because they have home insurance in place, they will be covered for a fire regardless of the cause - however, when it comes to rats not all insurers will offer a payout.
Fire brigades can often tell the cause of a fire and may press ahead with an investigation if requested by an insurer. If a rat attack is found to be the cause then most insurers will not offer compensation leaving property owners to find large amounts of cash to cover the expense of repairs on their own.
The key then is to know how far your cover extends.
Some insurers will add-on cover for damage from infestation - this will typically add around £2 to a premium and can be money well spent for the additional peace of mind. Do not confuse this however, with cover for the removal of vermin as several insurers will cover the costs of having a pest control company remove the rats from your home but will not pay out for the damage they cause.
If you feel that adding on cover for pests is an expense you could do without then look into ways to reduce your home insurance premiums. Adding security devices to your home, building up a no-claims discount or increasing your voluntary excess could all reduce your premiums significantly giving you plenty of spare cash to add on additional cover options.
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