SOME INSURERS OFFERING NJ BED BUG INSURANCE

According to a recent survey conducted by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), 1 in 5 Americans has had a bed bug infestation in their home or has encountered these blood-feeding parasites at a hotel or, increasingly, in their workplace. Bed bug infestations in offices, stores and manufacturing facilities have been increasing as bed bugs have become more prevalent across the U.S. The NPMA survey showed that more than a third (38%) of licensed pest controllers treated bed bug infestations in business establishments last year, compared to less than a fifth (18%) in 2009. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Eastern Shore of Maryland pest control experts at Viking Pest Control echo national authorities in saying that the bed bug problem is going to get worse, not better.

Are Companies Offering Bed Bug Insurance?

The rise of bed bug infestations in office buildings and stores has prompted a few insurance companies to begin offering commercial bed bug insurance. Bed bug infestations are typically excluded from standard business insurance policies; but insurance companies saw a need for new commercial coverage when Niketown, Hollister and Victoria’s Secret stores in Manhattan were forced to close last summer for bed bug extermination. Widely publicized bed bug infestations at Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and United Nations last year emphasized the growing need for commercial bed bug insurance.

Willis North America, a New York-based insurance broker that recently began offering commercial bed bug insurance, is targeting hotels, resorts, rental properties, hospitals, assisted living facilities and dormitories that can suffer losses in excess of $100,000 when bed bugs invade. Willis’ new bed bug policy covers the cost of bed bug extermination, compensation for losses due to business interruption, and the services of a crisis management team to repair the company’s reputation.

While no comparable insurance is currently available to NJ home owners, Viking Pest Control's proactive bed bug monitoring and prevention services can help protect NJ, PA, MD, and DE home owners from bed bug invasion.