Does a GL policy cover bodily injury caused by bed bugs?
Coverage Q&A: The insured's rental property is experiencing an infestation of bed bugs.
Every claim is different, and some insurance policies can be difficult to interpret for unique situations. FC&S Expert Coverage Interpretation, the recognized authority on insurance coverage interpretation and analysis for the P&C industry, makes it simple to find credible answers to your complicated coverage questions. Analysis brought to you by our FC&S experts.
Editor’s Note: Our question this week is from a subscriber whose client has an AAIS general liability policy and wants to seek coverage for mental and bodily injury caused by bed bugs.
Question: Our insured rents a house to a family. The family complains about bed bugs and makes claims for the mental and bodily injury caused by the bed bugs. Is the infestation considered an accident and bodily injury as defined by the insured’s general liability policy?
— Arkansas Subscriber
Analysis: There doesn’t seem to be a time of year when bed bugs actually go away or go dormant, but they can go for months, even up to a year, without feeding. Contrary to popular belief, they have little to do with how clean a home is because even property that is clean and properly maintained doesn’t mean it won’t be free of these tiny insects. A bed bug can crawl up to 100 feet (30 meters) in one night to find a meal. The reason they are called bed bugs is that they hide in the crevices of mattresses, bed frames and box springs. Eggs are laid along the edges of or around buttons on mattresses. They are a nightmare for landlords and tenants because once they are in a home, they are very difficult to get rid of completely. They pose such an epidemic that a number of states have adopted laws for landlords and tenants.
Answer: To learn the answer to this week’s coverage Q&A, please log into your FC&S Expert Coverage Interpretation account.
Related:
- To learn more about FC&S Expert Coverage Interpretation, visit our website.
- Sign up to receive our weekly newsletter, FC&S Coverage Insider, to stay up-to-date on insurance coverage issues.
- Discover our resources on commercial lines and personal lines on the NU Resource Center.
- Get 10% off your subscription to FC&S Expert Coverage Interpretation just for being a PC360 reader! Complete the free trial form or call 214-356-9145 to learn more or get started today.