Home and Contents Insurance. Don't let vermin ruin your roost

Pests and insects are homeowners costs money - an ICM poll revealed that last year, one in ten homeowners have had to pay a bill, following damage caused by small creatures. The greatest damage is caused by five most common pests: mice, wasps, gray squirrels, rats and hornets - and one year invade our homes, causing all sorts of damage. The problem is that while most home and contents insurance policies cover the results of a pest problem, such as a fire caused by chewed wiring, with the accidental damage policy that covers not loss. So if you find that you share the house with pests, then you probably have to cover the costs associated with them. There are some exceptions. Saga, for example, include damage caused by squirrels in all its policies. Select Plus its hedging policy and the damage from all pests are covered. Esuri is another notable exception, and now offer complete coverage for damage of the top five most common pests to all policy holders for an extra ฃ 21.99 per year. Compare this with the cost of having a hornet's nest has been removed - ฃ 100 - or 150 to rodents ฃ uprooted, and it seems a good investment. Peter Priestley, chairman of the British Association of Pest Control, has seen some of the worst pests, the most notable is a house in Preston on the top floor of a house collapsed completely as a result of rats chewing through beams. Isle of Man, which have a particular problem with rats. A man was found dead, she fell down the stairs - the bottom half of his torso had been eaten by rats that had entered his house. Cases involve squirrels breaking ornaments and mobile everyday harmful - causing damage that adds up to a regular ฃ 4000. Mice and rats chewing plants is another problem to face, the bill may reach ฃ 1500, in the worst case. The cost of disposing of the parasites may be inflated due to the fact that pest control is currently governed. As a spokesman for the Esuri, "Many people are left to find your own contractor, which could yell" pest controllers cowboy 'home, only to encounter a heavy bill. The best insurance is the prevention, and we have assembled some tips to avoid being the target pest. • Keep your yard and the area around your home without waste discharged, make sure the trash goes into a box that had a lid. • Do not leave birdseed paid under bird feeders and tables - which could attract mice, rats and squirrels. • Seal holes around plumbing - mice can get through small openings. The basic rule is that if you insert a pencil into the hole , so can a mouse. • Keep your house clean - do not leave dirty dishes, clean up spills and vacuum on a regular basis. • Do not leave piles of wood, sheets, tubes and other debris in the garden, providing a perfect hiding place for rats. • Try not to have items like clothing, toys and toilet paper stuffed in the attic - provides an ideal nest for wasps and hornets. If you live near a nature reserve or an area that is rich in wildlife, then it may be useful to obtain coverage against damage from the attacks of parasites. However, if you follow the above advice and also make regular checks would take time before ruin in the henhouse!