What is a termite bond?

Termite bonds are a lot like James Bond, except for the martinis, sports cars, and tuxedos. Alright, so perhaps the two aren’t exactly the same, but they both prevent super villains from taking over the world! The bad guys of Bond movies might prefer to use high-tech space weapons while termites simply devour our homes, but at the end of the day both outcomes are ones we’d rather avoid!

Today we’ll examine termite bonds, discuss who needs them, and what they include. While not as glamorous as 007, termite bonds provide homeowners with peace of mind and help keep your home safe!

Do I even need a termite bond?

The short answer to this question is: if you live in a wooden structure in an area with termites, you should have a termite bond! This includes the vast majority of American homes, with only a few parts of the most northern states being classified as being at little to no risk from termites.

Here in South Carolina we’re at the extreme end of the spectrum and are categorized as high risk areas for termite infestation. Other areas that fall into this category include most of California, eastern Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. This designation essentially means that if you live in an unprotected wooden structure the question is not whether or not you get termites, but instead the question is when will you get termites.

Nationally, the average repair cost for a termite infestation is $3,000 and severe infestations may cost many thousands of dollars more. What’s worse is that most homeowners insurance policies do not cover termite repairs!

A termite bond protects your home against termites and provides guaranteed coverage for repairs if an infestation occurs during the course of the bond.

What does a termite bond include?

While there is some variation between pest control companies, most termite bonds include the same essential services:

Annual Inspection & Retreatment

In order to maintain your termite bond you will need to have your home inspected annually for signs of termite infestation and have your termite treatment reapplied as needed.

What happens if termites infest my home during my bond?

While quite uncommon, it is not unheard of for termites to infest a protected home. The good news is that a termite repair bond means that your pest control company will eliminate your termite infestation and repair the damage they have caused.

Depending on the terms of the bond there may be limits to the coverage – but most bonds offer serious protection against damage caused by subterranean termites.

How is a Termite Bond different from a Termite Letter?

Termite bonds and termite letters are often confused for one another – probably because they may be issued at the same time. A termite bond is a warranty against damage done by termites in the future while a termite letter is a document that many lenders require, which states that a home has been determined to be free from termites.

Termite letters go by a few different names and some states even require them for real estate sales. In South Carolina the document is referred to as the South Carolina Wood Infestation Report (CL-100) and is required by lenders.

Even if your state does not require a termite letter for home sales, we highly recommend that homebuyers request this document as it demonstrates that your new home is free of termites.