The cold temperatures of the winter were reaching record breaking lows. Though going outdoors involved layering on the warm clothing and bracing ourselves before meeting the cold, at least we had the warmth and comfort of our home.

Or so we thought until the night we returned from work and were assaulted by the pungent stench of a skunk. The offensive odor was so strong. It permeated every corner of our home.

Plugging our noses, we searched apprehensively for the source. We did not find it in the garage, nor in the basement. And we prayed it was not anywhere else within our premises. We placed odor eliminators throughout our abode and left to sleep at a friend’s home. The next evening we returned cautiously. We weren’t sure if the odor had just been camouflaged or had really been purged, but our senses were not repulsed. When morning dawned and we opened the window shades, we knew we had caught the culprit. There he lay on the blanket of snow that graced our backyard, that black and white poor critter.

Fortunately, our experience with the unpleasant side of wildlife was fleeting. It got me thinking though, what if the skunk had taken up residence in our home and caused genuine harm by smelling up our place or otherwise? Would our homeowners insurance cover the damages? 

The Home Insurance Response

According to the home insurance specialists, a standard Homeowners policy will cover damage caused by a wild animal. Rats and mice are rodents and not considered wild animals. A skunk, though, would fall in the category of a wild animal. If damage is incurred by a skunk or family of skunks in a one distinguishable incident that could not have been prevented, it is generally covered.

Of course, each incident is different and life’s events are not always sweet smelling.  If you live near wildlife, speak to an experienced independent insurance agency that can explain the various scenarios and make sure you have the protective coverage you may need.

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Summary: Does your standard homeowners insurance cover skunk smells and other damages related to wildlife? The answers may surprise you.