Dry rot is a wood decaying fungus that can cause a lot of damage and spread quickly around homes and other structures. And once the outbreak has occurred, getting rid of it is very difficult. Many people who find themselves with a dry rot infestation in their home will more than likely think they’ll be ok because dry rot is covered by their building or homes insurance policy.
But is dry rot treatment covered by a standard buildings insurance policy? While this will vary from policy to policy, however in general dry rot is not covered. There are some exceptions to this rule – if the dry rot is related to a specific incident that is covered by the insurance policy then it is possible that your insurance will cover the damages. If you know for a fact that your insurance does not cover dry rot then you can call us to discuss our unique dry rot insurance policy on 0808 273 2138
It’s all about the cause
As this rather blunt heading puts it, the cause of the dry rot is the main issue for insurers when it comes to examining whether they’ll cover the damages caused by dry rot. For example, if one of your pipes leaks or bursts and causes dry rot to occur then your insurance policy will likely pay for the repairs necessary to remove the dry rot.
However, if the dry rot is caused by aging materials or poor maintenance on your part, then it’s very unlikely your insurance policy will cover the damages caused by the fungus. This can be a problem for a lot of people because dry rot can cause a lot of problems for home owners, not least of which is the unpleasant smell and staining it causes.
While it’s unfortunate that many standard buildings insurance policies don’t cover dry rot, it is understandable when you consider that dry rot can occur in many ways and is most commonly caused by dampness and a lack of proper ventilation. So unless your dry rot is caused by a specific incident like a burst pipe then your home insurance policy more than likely won’t cover it.
How do I avoid this problem?
Examine any home insurance policy closely before agreeing to it, and while it’s likely most home insurance policies won’t cover a dry rot infestation there is still a possibility of cover if it was caused by outside issues.
An example of this was seen in the Financial Ombudsman Service’s online news publication which stated: “Increasingly, insurers include a general provision that excludes dry / wet rot however it has arisen, a few of these insurers do not apply the exclusion where the rot was caused directly by an insured event”
They continue: “From the policyholder’s perspective, this is clearly a better position for insurers to adopt and we may need to consider whether it should be taken to represent good insurance practice generally. It certainly reflects a general theme of providing cover for the unexpected”
Peter Cox Property Insurance provides insurance protection against the worrying and risks associated with dry rot. We insure residential properties, covering a full range of properties from flats, to houses and mansions.
For further information regarding our dry rot insurance cover, please check our dry rot insurance or call us on 0808 273 2138, and we will be more than happy to help.
