By: Megan Palera
mpalera@klkntv.com
UNL has been battling bed bugs for weeks now, costing hundred of thousands of dollars. Fearing they could be next, a fraternity bought insurance in case those bugs ever bite.
We've heard about bed bugs in dorm rooms and there's no guarantee the pests won't travel to a house on Greek row. So, the idea is to pay a little now to keep from paying ten times that amount in the future.
It's just one of the many dorm rooms that's been taken over by bed bugs. The pests infesting the UNL campus, and Sigma Phi Epsilon wants to make sure it's well protected. "We try to maintain the highest level for our students who live here, so we've never had bed bugs and as a preventative measure, we heard about the bed bug insurance. We decided to go ahead and invest in that," said Max Rodenburg, who's in Sigma Phi Epsilon.
With more than 75 people living in the house, it could cost tens of thousands of dollars for treatment. So, the brother are forking over some cash, about $2,000 a year, just in case.
If bed bugs are ever detected here, pest control arrives immediately to inspect the house and fumigate, all expenses covered. It's an insurance idea that's spreading through a fearsome Greek row. "It might be worth the investment. Just throw in the insurance and have it taken care of," said Tyler White, in Pi Kappa Phi.
The company behind it all is Willis Global Insurance. They said it's a product with growing interest across the country. They don't insure homes for bed bugs, just places like hotels and Greek house. "It's real and it is expensive when they get caught. I think what a lot of folks are trying to do is so a little math on their own and saying I have to put in my budget $50,000 a year for mediation. We should be able to provide that coverage at a cheaper rate," they said.
Just a small price to pay for the chance to sleep a little easier at night. Today, UNL reported they found bed bugs in another six dorm rooms, bringing the total to right around 60. They're now using two specialized dogs going room to room to find them.
