Does house insurance cover pet damage?

One unexpected outcome from the spring lockdown was a significant rise in the number of people getting a new pet. With more time spent at home during the lockdown, new pet owners were able to spend more time with their pet, but as an increasing number are returning to work and schools, pets will be left unattended for hours at a time.

Leaving pets unattended for longer period of times than normal could increase the risk of the pet causing damage within the house. As such, homeowners and renters should ensure that their home insurance covers damage done by pets.

Although most content insurance covers accidental damage, this may only cover specific damage, such as electrical equipment, and not cover personal belongings or furniture. As well as this, accidental damage may not cover damage done by pets. As such, when taking out home insurance, pet owners should check the policy carefully to ensure that personal belongings and furniture is covered under accidental damage and that this includes damage caused by pets. If the policy does not cover this, pet owners should extend their policy to cover this, or, alternatively, look for another home insurer that will cover accidental damage caused by pets within the policy.

If the home content insurance policy does not cover damage caused by pets, homeowners could find themselves having to pay to fix the damage themselves, which could mount up to a significant amount over the years. Dog owners can discourage their pet from causing damage by taking their dog to a professional dog trainer. Meanwhile, there are sprays available that can deter cats from damaging furniture and cat owners can invest in a scratching post to encourage their cat away from scratching their furniture.

Pet insurance only covers the cost of medical treatment for your pet and vet bills and, as such, pet insurance will not cover damage done by the pet. Instead, pet owners should ensure that their home contents insurance covers accidental damage caused by pets.

Homeowners looking to change their home insurance policy can find a full list of our five and four-star rated home insurance providers on our best home insurance page.