From skunks, to opossums, to raccoons, to squirrels, the animals like to come inside. While they may be cute on the nature channel or at the zoo, when a homeowner finds a skunk in a crawl space or a raccoon in the attic the response is often dismay followed by “How do I get it out of there?” Then the insurance policy comes into play. Is there coverage for the damage caused by the animal? Was the animal a rodent or a vermin, what’s the difference, and why does it matter?

For damage to Coverage A and B, the HO 00 03 excludes birds, vermin, rodents, insects, or animals owned or kept by an insured. So the damaged door that Fluffy has been scratching on for the past few years is not covered. That’s the easy part. So are birds and insects; they’re readily identifiable and aren’t usually confused with mammals. Then we get to the tricky part, rodents and vermin. Well, what exactly is a rodent, and how is it different from vermin? Aren’t they the same and if not, how do you tell the difference? The policy doesn’t define either term, so we’re left to our own devices to sort out the wild things.

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free
PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader.

INCLUDED IN A DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP:

  • All PropertyCasualty360.com news coverage, best practices, and in-depth analysis.
  • Educational webcasts, resources from industry leaders, and informative newsletters.
  • Other award-winning websites including BenefitsPRO.com and ThinkAdvisor.com.

Already have an account?


NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

PropertyCasualty360

Join PropertyCasualty360

Don’t miss crucial news and insights you need to make informed decisions for your P&C insurance business. Join PropertyCasualty360.com now!

  • Unlimited access to PropertyCasualty360.com - your roadmap to thriving in a disrupted environment
  • Access to other award-winning ALM websites including BenefitsPRO.com, ThinkAdvisor.com and Law.com
  • Exclusive discounts on PropertyCasualty360, National Underwriter, Claims and ALM events

Already have an account? Sign In Now
Join PropertyCasualty360

Copyright © 2024 ALM Global, LLC. All Rights Reserved.