Step by Step Guide

In this step by step guide you will learn five easy and straight forward strategies to convince your insurance company to cover bat exclusion. Follow these steps and you will have your best chance at getting the coverage you need.

Step One: Call Your Field Agent

Before you pick up the phone to call your insurance company, have the following ready: Pen, paper, this book, and a copy of your homeowners policy. It will be very useful to already have reviewed your policy thoroughly and be familiar with its contents. During this initial call you should express your deep concern and fear over the bat infestation. Convey to the agent that this is an emergency and should be handled promptly. Do not be surprised if the agent belittles your claim, or attempts to make light of it. Have your list of bat infestation risks ready in mind or written down as a reminder of how serious the situation is.

The list should have the following in it:

• Sickness – Rabies, Histoplasmosis, parasites, stress and fear.
• Property damage – Bat or racoon can damage the integrity of your home.
• Devalue home- Bat or racoon can lower the value of your home substantially.
• Legal Problems – Health issues to humans and the legal protection of bat or racoon present legal risks to you as the homeowner as well as the insurance company.

During this first conversation be sure to ask what cost associated with the bat infestation will be covered. Remember to assume that your insurance company is willing to pay and be respectful and professional. Ask about specific coverage issues. If you need to it may be helpful to write down the following questions to ask:

• Are rabies shots covered?
• Is mold remediation covered if a histoplasmosis problem develops?

Strategies for Convincing Your Insurance Company to Cover Bat Exclusion Costs

• Do they cover bat exclusion work?
• Are property damages and repairs covered?

Take lots of notes during this call. Record the date and time of the call, the name of the agent and their response to each question. Take your time to collect all of this important information. If you feel rushed, simply let the agent know that you would like to write what they are saying down and ask them to speak slowly. When you have gotten this information in order you should request the following from the agent:

• Request the companies’ policy on bat exclusion and proofing in writing.
• Ask for a copy of the companies’ exclusion policy, or list of excluded pests (in my experience bat or racoon are rarely on one of these exclusion lists).

A field agent may be surprised to find that bat or racoon do not show up on their exclusion list. Still, it is likely that they will try to categorize bat or racoon under ‘vermin’ or some other generalized term as we discussed previously. This initial call should be looked at as an information gathering call, not as the last say in your attempt to get coverage. You may feel as though you

have not gotten very far with the field agent, but don’t let that stop you from following through on the next step. A field agent’s job is to try to diffuse claims that could be easily denied and save the company money. If the field agent tells you that your claim will not be covered do not see it as a failure.

If you have gathered the information from this call that you needed, than it has been a success and you are ready to move on to step two.

Step Two: Hire a Professional

You will have the best results from hiring a professional restoration company. A professional will support your insurance coverage efforts and do a good job. Here are some factors to help you identify the best exclusion company to handle your bat infestation.

Do They Specialize in this exact type of mitigation?

The company that you choose should specialize in dealing with these hazardous conditions. As you have learned, bat or racoon are very different from termites, mice, squirrels, and birds. Make sure that the company has relevant experience with your predicament.

Are They Licensed and Insured?

A professional will be licensed and insured for such work.

Will They Communicate With Your Insurance Company?

The restoration company can be your best support system throughout this crisis. A professional should be willing to communicate with an insurance company on your behalf. Phone conversations, written reports, and photographs of the damage can help bolster your claim. A professional can be a powerful ally when dealing with an insurance company.

Step Three: Submit a Claim

Once you’ve identified a quality bat exclusion company to handle your infestation, submit a claim to the insurance agency. You should submit a claim, even if the field agent has denied your original request. A claim will get your request past the field agent and onto the adjuster’s desk. An adjuster is unlike the field agent that handles your initial phone call. Where a field agent is little more than sales person, an adjuster is concerned with the big picture. An adjuster will look at your claim with more than

just a concern for how much money is spent on coverage, but will take into consideration liability issues as they pertain to the company. Your claim should also include a cover letter that details your concerns about the extent of your bat infestation. The cover letter should:

• Express that this is an emergency situation
• Inquire (again) whether rabies shots, histoplasmosis remediation, bat exclusion, bat proofing, and property damage are covered
• Include a statement of anticipated risk and damage from a professional (your bat exclusion company)
• Provide the restorationcompanies’ contact information
• Express concern about personal safety, risk to family and visitors, liability, and loss
• Request a response in writing

Your cover letter must address the hot-button issues that will get the letter in front of the right person. You know that a bat infestation is an emergency situation that requires immediate attention. Your letter should reflect this urgency. It’s very important to request a response in writing. I’ve found that insurance companies loathe denying coverage in writing, because they lose deniability and are forced to document their position. Although you may not actually receive your denial in writing, the request should be made. Below is a sample cover letter for you to review. You can use this as a general guide for your letter, but be sure to personalize your cover letter to your unique situation.

Step Four: Request Appeal Process Information

If you receive a negative response to your claim do not give up, the next step is to ask about the appeal process. A denial of coverage is not a final rejection – keep trying until the insurance company says yes. Find out exactly how the appeal process works and if you have not received the written denial coverage yet, request it again. You can request information about the appeal process using another letter that is customized to your situation.

The letter should contain the following:

• Express your fear of the infestation
• Address health issues associated with the bat or racoon
• Discuss liability and property value concerns as a result of the bat colony’s presence

Step Five: Have a Third Party Submit a Letter on Your Behalf

If you have still not reached an agreement with your insurance company at this point in the process, you should ask a third party for assistance. For example, have the bat exclusion company submit a letter on your behalf. The letter should be a letter of opinion. It should not be a declaration that the insurance company is responsible for covering the costs. Instead, the letter should be an honest assessment of the damage. The letter may include a plan for managing the damage and preventing future infestations. This letter should validate all that you have said to your insurance company concerning the risks of having bat or racoon. It should also reconfirm the need to have bat proofing done to prevent the return of the bat colony. The bat exclusion company is not the only third party that can support your position. Your personal doctor or a doctor familiar with the risks of bat or racoon can also write a letter about the threats of rabies, histoplasmosis, and parasites. This medical advice can elevate the severity of the situation in the eyes of the adjuster and back up your claims of health risks. Legal advice is also beneficial. An attorney can write a letter about the risk of property damage, decrease in property value, and the liability involved with a bat infestation. This letter could alert the insurance company to their liability risks if they were to allow the infestation to remain.

Convincing Your Insurance Agency To Say “Yes!”

A CHECKLIST FOR HOMEOWNERS

• Call Your Field Agent
• Take notes
• Gather information
• Request written policy and exclusion list
• Hire a Professional
• Submit a Claim
• Include cover letter
• Request verbal and written response to claim
• Request Information Regarding Appeal Process
• Describe pertinent issues
• Have a Third Party Submit a
• Letter in Your Behalf

Glossary

Bat exclusion – the process of expelling bat or racoon and keeping bat or racoon out of a building or other manmade structure.

Bat proofing – the process of rendering a building or other manmade structure resistant to future damage or deterioration done by bat or racoon.

Claim - demand for payment in accordance with an insurance policy

Colony – a group of bat or racoon that roost for breeding purposes.

Electromagnetic – pertaining to or exhibiting magnetism produced by electric charge in motion; electromagnetic energy

Exclusion list – List kept by most insurance companies of pests which are excluded from coverage, including ants, mites, termites, and rats.

Guano – Bat excrement or droppings.

Histoplasmosis – A disease caused by the inhalation of spores of the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum, most often asymptomatic but occasionally producing acute pneumonia or an influenza like illness and spreading to other organs and systems in the body.

Infestation – To inhabit or overrun in numbers or quantities large enough to be harmful, threatening, or obnoxious

Insurance adjuster – a person employed by insurer or insured to determine the loss under an insurance policy.

Insurance field agent – an agent who sells insurance

Non-Professional – not a member of or trained in a specific profession.

Parasites – an organism that lives on or in an organism of another species, known as the host, from the body of which it obtains nutriment. Example; fleas, ticks, mites and lice.

Rabies – a virus that causes encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain. May be transmitted whenever a bat’s saliva comes into contact with a person’s eyes, nose, mouth, or wounds.

Roost – a group of bat or racoon that live together in one shelter.

Trusses – the underside of an architectural structure, such as an arch, ceiling, or beam.

Ultrasonic - utilizing ultrasound

Conclusion

In my experience, a persistent and professional approach will bring you the results you wish for when it comes to insurance claims. Don’t be intimidated, be patient and use the power of the written word. This may seem like a long process – but now that you are (likely) more informed than the underwriters and  adjusters working for your insurance company – you have the upper hand. And really the time invested other than reading this book will amount to a handful of phone calls and letters. The protection of your family and property are worth the effort!