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Is squirrel damage covered by home insurance?

I heard some pitter-pattering in my attic this winter but decided to shrug it off. A few months later, I see that squirrels were nesting there and had damaged some of the wooden beams! Is this squirrel damage covered by my home insurance?

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Bellina Gaskey · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Unfortunately, squirrel damage (or damage from similar small rodents or animals) is almost never covered by home insurance.
Insurance companies reason that damage from nesting animals like squirrels, chipmunks, mice, and nesting birds is preventable, so they won’t step in to cover the cost of any repairs or exterminations.
You’ll have to shoulder the cost of any repairs yourself and take precautionary measures next time.
On the other hand, damage from large wildlife like deer or bears would be covered by homeowner’s insurance, since these animals don’t nest in the house and cause damage over time—encounters with them are much rarer and often unforeseeable.
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