The short answer: your insurance covers sudden, accidental wildlife damage, like a bear tearing through a wall or a deer through a window. It almost never covers the slow stuff, like squirrels in the attic or mice chewing wires.
Here’s the rule of thumb I tell people: the damage might be covered, but removing the animal is almost always on you. Let me break down what that actually means.
One note before I start: I’m not an insurance agent, and this isn’t insurance or legal advice. Policies vary by company, state, and plan. Read your own policy or ask an agent before you make a decision.
What standard policies actually cover
Most US homes are on an HO-3 policy, and it covers sudden and accidental damage to your dwelling. The key word is sudden.
If a wild animal causes damage in one violent event, that usually counts. Examples that typically get approved:
- A deer or moose crashes through a window or sliding door.
- A bear tears through siding or a wall to get at food inside.
- A storm blows a tree limb through the roof.
- A fire starts because an animal chewed a wire, and the fire damages the house.
That last one trips people up. If a rodent chews a wire and it sparks a fire, the fire damage is covered, because fire is a covered peril. The chewed wire itself is not covered, and you’re on the hook for fixing the wire and sealing the entry point.
What’s not covered
The exclusions are where most people get burned. They boil down to one idea: if it’s gradual, preventable, or pest-related, the insurance company treats it as maintenance, not an accident.
Rodents, pests, and vermin
Nearly every standard policy excludes damage from rodents, squirrels, raccoons, bats, birds, and insects. A squirrel chewing through attic wiring for weeks is a maintenance problem in their eyes, and they’ll deny it.
Gradual damage and neglect
If a raccoon has been living in your attic for months, soiling insulation and widening a hole, that damage happened slowly. The insurer expects you to have noticed and fixed the entry point. Waiting turns a small problem into a big one, and they’ll call it wear and tear.
Birds
Birds nesting in vents, gutters, or chimneys are a maintenance issue. The droppings and blocked vents they cause aren’t covered. Chimney caps and vent covers are your job.
Burrowing animals and the yard
Groundhog, mole, and gopher damage to your lawn, landscaping, or foundation is generally excluded as ground maintenance. Same with a fence a wild animal damaged trying to get in, unless a covered peril like a falling tree caused it.
When a claim actually gets approved
Here’s the distinction in practice, with a few scenarios I’ve seen play out:
| Scenario | Covered? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Deer crashes through a sliding door | Yes | Sudden, accidental damage to the structure |
| Squirrel chews attic wiring | No | Rodent damage is excluded |
| Fire starts from a chewed wire | Yes, the fire damage | Fire is a covered peril, even if a rodent caused it |
| Raccoon nests in the attic for months | No | Gradual, preventable damage |
| Bear tears through the roof | Yes | Sudden breach by a wild animal |
| Birds block a vent with a nest | No | Maintenance issue |
| A tree branch falls on the roof in a storm | Yes | Falling objects are a standard covered peril |
| Termites eat the floor joists | No | Insect damage is excluded |
How to give yourself the best shot
If you’re going to file a claim, document everything before you touch anything:
- Take photos and video from multiple angles the moment you find the damage.
- Get a written report from a licensed wildlife pro stating the species, how it got in, and whether the entry was sudden.
- Save every repair estimate and invoice.
- Don’t repair the damage until the adjuster has seen it. Fixing it first can get your claim denied.
One warning: the exclusion for “birds, vermin, rodents, insects, and domestic animals” is broad, and adjusters enforce it. If they decide the entry point was pre-existing or the animal had been inside for more than a few days, the whole claim can die.
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually not. Insulation, ductwork, and wood damage from a raccoon are gradual or pest damage, both excluded. If the raccoon broke through the roof in one sudden event, the structural repair might be covered, but the mess it made living there almost never is.
Not under your homeowners policy. Squirrel damage to a vehicle falls under comprehensive auto coverage, if you carry it. Homeowners insurance covers the house, not the car.
No. Guano cleanup and attic restoration after a bat colony is waste removal and gradual damage, not a sudden loss. Most policies exclude animal waste cleanup outright.
Depends on the repair cost. If it’s minor, paying out of pocket is usually smarter than risking a rate increase, since claims can raise your premium at renewal. For major structural damage, file it and let the adjuster decide.
Almost never. Even when the damage is covered, the cost of trapping, excluding, and removing the animal is your responsibility. Budget for it separately.
Your homeowners policy typically excludes damage from domestic animals. But your neighbor’s liability coverage may pay, since it’s their dog. File a claim with their insurance or ask your agent to help.
