Can woodworm in roof timbers be claimed for on my home insurance?

Vanessa Chance, an insurance expert from LV, answers the question:-

Scott from Scotland asks:-

Some roof timbers in my home have collapsed in the loft it looks like wood worm as there are lots of small holes around in the timbers. Can I claim on my house insurance?

Vanessa answers:-

It is very unlikely that you will be able to claim on your home insurance for repairs to your roof timbers due to the cause of the damage. Most insurers do not pay for damage caused by insects such as woodworm and will list this as an exclusion in the policy wording. Most home insurance policies don’t cover claims arising from wear and tear and gradual deterioration, such as this.

It is worth checking what your guarantee covers as you may be able to reclaim some or all of the repair costs from the company that treated the timbers in the first place.

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