We heard recently of an unusual and little known type of dormouse. They are to be found within a 25 mile radius of Tring, in Hertfordshire. It appears that Lord Rothschild had a fascination for wildlife and in 1902 he introduced these little creatures to his estate. They are actually an edible dormouse, otherwise known as “glis glis”.

In ancient Roman times, these 6” long dormice were fattened up to be consumed at banquets but they have turned the tables and now causing all manner of problems by eating their way through homes in the area. Cables and insulation seem to be their favourite diet. They are a protected species so can’t be eradicated by normal pest control methods; instead they need to be trapped professionally.

Vermin are causing havoc in the rest of the UK and ICM have done some research which reveals that one in ten households have had a problem with some type of pest within the past year. Some have been faced with hefty bills in an effort to rid themselves of the pests. There is help from the local council but as these pest infestations tend to be seasonal, there can be long waiting times. Private pest control contractors vary in efficiency and cost. It’s a case of “beware of the cowboy”, although it has to be said there are some excellent and experienced firms out there – the problem is that the industry is unregulated, so there is no standard to use as a comparison when considering the choice of a contractor.

When it comes to insurance, it’s unusual for household policies to cover damage from vermin. It’s usually excluded via an accidental damage clause. You may find that consequential damage would be covered, i.e.: if vermin chewed through an electrical wire and consequently caused a fire, most insurers would cover this.

The most common pests are grey squirrels, rats, mice, wasps and hornets. Esure offer an add -on to its home insurance cover. For an additional £21.99 per year they will offer a vermin control service covering problems with the above five pests. Even the cost of removing a hornet’s nest could be as much as £100 so this extra is certainly worth considering.

Squirrels can cause the greatest problems. Should they gain access to your home, normally through the loft space, then they can cause absolute mayhem. Broken ornaments, chewed valuables and furniture often result. The cover provided by Saga is unusual in that all its household policies include cover for damage caused by these creatures. It’s Cover Plus policy provides cover for damage caused by all pests, with the exception of damage done to pedal cycles!

It would be unwise to underestimate the damage which could occur should rats and mice gnaw through cables. Fires can be cause in this way and rats can even gnaw through pipes, causing flooding. There is a case of the whole upper floor of a house collapsing because of the wooden joists had been chewed through by rats.

Some sensible precautions should be taken to avoid problems. Outside the house, make sure that bags containing rubbish are put into lidded dustbins. Clear up around bird tables and feeders. Don’t put cooked food onto compost heaps. Drains and covers should be checked for damage and general clutter should be tidied. Inside the house, vermin is attracted to pipe work and this is how they move around. Seal up holes using steel wool or plaster. Check around the hot water tank, under the sink and in the loft. Avoid storing packing tissue, cardboard boxes and things like cuddly toys and unwanted clothes up there – they make a perfect ready made nest for vermin.

So there’s a lot you can do to avoid problems. However, should they occur, you’ll need your insurance cover. An on line insurance broker will be able to sort out what’s available and will find you with the best way to get some insurance against these pests.

Technocrati Tags[home insurance]