No one wants to find bed bugs in their home and trying to get rid of them can be a major hassle.
And the truth is that:
Bed bugs are bad enough if you own a home, but if you rent a place, you will need to deal with the additional headache of landlords.
In this article you will learn if renters insurance will cover a bed bug infestation and if you or the landlord is responsible for getting them removed.
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Does Renters Insurance Cover Bed Bugs?
Calling exterminators to get rid of bedbugs is not only a stressful process but also an expensive one.
You may be wondering: are bed bugs covered by my renters insurance? Does State Farm renters insurance cover bed bugs? Does Geico renters insurance cover bed bugs? S
Should I get renters insurance on the off-chance that I’ll face a bed bug infestation?
Unfortunately, most renters insurance programs do not explicitly cover bed bugs.
Insurers consider bed bugs not as an essential peril—like hail or fire—but a failure of the owner to properly maintain their property.
Exclusions for Bed Bugs
Some rental insurance programs explicitly exclude bed bugs in their coverage policies.
Check the fine print before purchasing your renters insurance or have an attorney review the document.
Will Any Policy Cover Bed Bugs?
Except for specific bedbug insurance (see the section below), there are very few standard renters insurance policies covering bed bugs.
However, rare programs like Jetty’s Renters Insurance do exist.
If you hire a professional exterminator who confirms that you have bed bugs, Jetty will offer $300 to offset the cost of treatment.
Can I Use the Loss of Use Provision?
Many home or renters insurance policies include a loss of use provision if you cannot use your home due to damages.
In this case, the insurer would provide financial assistance for temporary relocation and repairs. But, this provision would likely not apply to bed bugs as an insured loss under renters insurance.
However, if you believe you have a claim under a loss of use provision, contact a bedbug infestation attorney for specialized assistance.
Is There Any Coverage for Home-Sharing Services?
Whether you’re renting out your home to a guest or staying in a stranger’s home through a short-term rental site like VRBO or Airbnb, you’d be right to worry about the risk of bedbugs.
If you do end up dealing with such a nightmarish scenario, can you turn to insurance coverage for financial assistance with pest control and to cover any damages?
It depends entirely on the home-sharing service in question.
Let’s take a look at arguably the most popular service: Airbnb.
Airbnb offers a Host Protection Insurance program providing supplemental coverage if third-parties—like guests—bring claims related to property damage or injuries.
The program stipulates the exclusion of issues like mold or pollution from the program, but it doesn’t say whether that means pests like bed bugs, too.
But, it seems likely from community posts on the site that hosts will have to foot the bill for an exterminator.
However, if you purchased landlord’s insurance, there’s a chance that your policy will cover bed bugs. Contact your insurer with any questions in this case.
For short-term guests, there’s not much you can do besides contacting both the unit owner and Airbnb to request a refund, along with requesting Airbnb to provide you with alternate accommodations.
You may want to consult an attorney if Airbnb refuses to provide a refund.
Is My Landlord Responsible for My Bed Bugs?
We’ve established that you probably won’t find much help in renters insurance for bed bug problems.
But what about your landlord? Are you on the hook for bed bugs in your apartment?
Or can you legally make your landlord handle the problem by hiring an exterminator?
The vast majority of the time, your landlord will be financially liable for extermination expenses.
Certainly, if someone else in your building or the previous tenant in your apartment brought bedbugs into your space, it is 100% the landlord’s responsibility.
If you notice bedbugs in your unit, you should notify your landlord right away.
If the bed bugs spread from your apartment to another one, there’s a good chance that your landlord will hold you responsible for extermination costs in those apartments.
Either way, you should inform your landlord.
Assuming you are not responsible, your landlord should then hire an exterminator in a timely fashion.
But what if the landlord doesn’t take care of the matter at all, or delays doing it? Or what if they ask you to foot the bill? Can you sue a landlord for bed bugs?
Yes, you can sue your landlord, as they have failed to create a safe living environment for you.
You’ll ideally want to contact a bedbug infestation attorney (yes, that is a real occupation) to assist you with a lawsuit.
You’ll need to document any injuries such as bite marks, as well as any photographic evidence of the actual bed bugs.
Make sure to get a copy of your lease for your attorney to review.
RENTERS INSURANCE WHERE YOU LIVE
Renters insurance by state.
As a home renter, there are insurance policies available for you.
With quality Renters Insurance, you can protect your home and everything inside it. For more information, click on your state.
Can I Get Bedbug Insurance?
You may be asking: what insurance companies cover bed bugs? We already discussed Jetty, but are there specific bedbug insurance programs? And how much does bed bug insurance cost?
As a renter, the answer is still no. There aren’t any policies covering bedbugs for you.
But if you’re a landlord, the situation looks a little different.
Landlords can and should acquire bed bug insurance due to the ever-present threat of these parasites, particularly in densely-crowded housing units.
Fudge Insurance offers an affordable bed bug insurance program at $2 per night, which the landlord can incorporate into rental fees.
Steps to Take If You Have Bed Bugs
First, confirm that you have bed bugs by looking out for the key identifying features:
Second, you may need to go to a hospital in case you suffer from any unusual allergic reactions or infections.
Monitor any bite marks and consult a doctor if you experience discomfort or develop severe skin reactions.
Next, following up on the section regarding landlords, you should notify your landlord immediately.
If your landlord does not promptly take care of the situation, you must handle it yourself.
You’ll need to determine whether you want to treat the bedbugs alone or consult a professional.
Ideally, you should hire a bedbug exterminator and use online reviews to find one in your area that is qualified to handle your infestation.
Get photographic evidence or collect samples of the pest to show the exterminator.
But, if for any reason you want to treat it yourself, develop a strategy.
The strategy should involve containing the spread of the bedbugs and isolating and killing those that are already in your home.
You won’t get rid of the bed bugs overnight.
Even after eliminating the parasites, you’ll need to monitor the situation for a week to ensure that they’re truly gone.
THE SIMPLY INSURANCE WAY
Renters Insurance made easy.
Agents not required.
Get quotes and sign up online without talking to an agent. But, we are here if you need us.
Unbiased, expert advice.
Get unbiased insurance education from licensed experts and also avoid excessive sales calls.
Coverage in minutes.
You can get renters insurance coverage within minutes of getting your quotes and applying.
Taking Action
With or without renters insurance, bed bugs can leave a trail of problems for you in their wake.
However, it’s always a good idea to have insurance to safeguard against unexpected issues.
If you need renters insurance, we’ve done the hard work for you—check out the top three companies or get your free renters insurance quote today.