Pest Control Warranties: What's Actually Covered
Termite damage repair coverage, annual renewal fees, and the gotchas.
Pest control warranties — especially termite damage warranties — are heavily marketed as bumper-to-bumper protection. The reality is more limited, with significant exclusions and annual renewal requirements that homeowners frequently miss.
Termite damage warranties
Retreatment warranties cover re-treating if termites return. Almost all pest control termite contracts include this.
Damage repair warranties cover actual repair of termite damage discovered during the contract period — much more valuable but more expensive ($150-$400/year vs. $75-$200 for retreatment only). Read the fine print: many cap repair at $50,000-$250,000 and exclude pre-existing damage.
What voids coverage
Missed annual inspections, structural modifications without notification, water leaks creating conducive conditions, mulch piled above the foundation siding, and failure to maintain proper drainage near the foundation.
Save inspection reports and renewal receipts indefinitely. Filing a damage claim 5 years into a contract requires proving continuous coverage — paperwork lost equals coverage lost.