Will Home Insurance Cover Woodworm Damage?

2 July 2024

Woodworm is a real problem throughout the UK, with the tiny insects being one of the most prevalent and destructive household pests throughout the country.

It stands to reason then that there are plenty of people who after discovering woodworm in their property turn to the likes of their home insurance company to see if it will assist them in the removal of the woodworm, and in the repair or replacement of the timber once the woodworm treatment has been carried out.

Do Home Insurance Companies Cover Woodworm?

Sadly, woodworm is not commonly covered by many home insurance providers throughout the UK, with it often being ruled out in the small print as damage by vermin, or something similar.

What we would advise is that before you look to making a claim on your home insurance, or even before choosing a specific policy, you check to see if woodworm is covered. Not only will you want to be secure in the knowledge that your property is covered, but you will want to know the specific process for claiming if woodworm is covered, and the conditions on which claims are approved or disapproved.

In the event that your home insurance does cover damage from woodworm however, the chances are that the insurance company aren’t going to take your word alone in order to approve the claim.

What Do I Need to Claim for Woodworm on my Home Insurance?

If you have a home insurance policy that does cover woodworm damage and the ensuing repairs needed, the chances are that you are going to need official documentation outlining the entire process.

Normally, insurance companies like to see evidence of the problem at hand before they pay out, so it helps to have a report from a recognised expert in the related field demonstrating that the property has been damaged due to a fault which the insurance provider covers, which in this case would be woodworm.

Luckily, as members of the Property Care Association, you can rely on a report from Timberwise to help give you the evidence you might need to prove that your property has been affected by woodworm.

All of our surveyors undergo training and receive qualifications through the Property Care Association, meaning that they hold recognised professional accreditations that recognise their ability to accurately detect and understand property care issues, including woodworm.

With a full report as well, you can present your insurance company with a fully costed rundown of the repairs needed in your property as well as the reasoning and timescales for such a claim, which can only help during the decision-making process on your insurance providers end.

If you think your property might currently be harbouring a woodworm infestation, then you can always give our team a call or request a survey online to have one of our surveyors visit your property and discover if woodworm is present.

With the following report, you can then talk to your home insurance provider about a potential claim should they cover woodworm damage, and take further action at your own discretion.

Is Woodworm Expensive to Fix?

Woodworm is a tricky problem to put a cost to, as it is entirely dependant on the scope and extent of the damage the woodworm has caused.

For example, woodworm damage contained to a single decorative beam is going to carry a different repair cost than woodworm damage spreading through a structural network of timber on a second floor.

With this costing being entirely situational, you may want to talk to your insurance provider about their level of cover. Obviously, with a survey from Timberwise you will receive a fully costed report that outlines the repair costs attached to our remedial works.

You can use this report in conjunction with your insurance provider (if they do  cover woodworm), and decide if the repairs are within the level of cover you are afforded, or if the repairs are within your budget if your cover doesn’t cover (or only partially covers woodworm repair).

Will Woodworm Just Go Away on its Own?

There are very few circumstances in which woodworm will just leave your property’s timber and not spread to connected or nearby timber instead. In fact, it basically never happens.

Woodworm are just insects. They are driven by only the urge to feed and reproduce, so there is no real reason that they would leave timber voluntarily, especially if it’s providing a safe and food rich environment for the woodworm to thrive in.

If left alone woodworm will only spread, ruining one section of your properties timber after another.

It’s only through the proper treatment that woodworm can be eradicated, and its only with professional repairs or replacements that timber can be brought back into a functional and visually appealing state.

Essentially, home insurance or not, woodworm in a property requires treatment. Our team can help you from initial discovery, to the treatment and repairs, and even provide a twenty-year guarantee to give you peace of mind that your timber is protected from a potential re-infestation after out initial treatment.

Just call 0800 288 8660, or fill in one of our online contact forms to book in a survey with one of our team.

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