Mold Damage Covered by Home Insurance

Those living in humid parts of the country are regularly exposed to mold and all its health risks. Mold is a kind of fungus containing minuscule living organisms that’s present in damp air and on the surfaces of your home.

In the outdoors, mold is actually quite beneficial. It helps the breakdown of dead trees and other plants. However, when mold is found indoors, it becomes a major problem for homeowners.

At home, not only does mold look unsightly but it’s also a risk to your health. Homeowners have to hire professional cleaners to come in and remove the mold from their property. Depending on how much mold there is in the house, mold remediation can cost quite a bit of money which is why many turn to their home insurance company for assistance.

Mold Removal & Insurance

Despite mold damage being such a common problem for homeowners, it isn’t always covered by homeowners insurance.

The only time your home insurance will protect you from mold damage is when the source of the mold is covered under your policy.

Standard home insurance policies usually do provide coverage for water damage that resulted from accidents like the bursting of the pipe, a broken air-conditioning or heating unit, surging of water, etc. All these incidents will cause moisture to build up in the home.

Only if the mold in your house resulted from these incidents will a standard homeowners insurance policy cover it. If there is such an accident at your home, you should be able to file a claim for mold damage and get partial compensation for the repairs needed to fix your property.

Here are examples of when homeowners insurance covers mold remediation:

· The water heater bursts and black mold grows on the walls

· There was a fire in your house and the water that was used to put out the fire caused mold to grow on the walls, ground and cabinetry

· The dishwasher leaked and caused mold to grow in different parts of the kitchen

· The plumbing in the bathroom leaked and there’s mold on the walls and floors

How much does the policy cover?

Don’t expect your insurance policy to cover all the costs. Generally mold remediation costs around $15,000–$30,000 but insurance companies place a maximum on their coverage to reduce their costs.

Insurers usually only pay from $1,000–$10,000 for mold damage. In case you want additional coverage, you can get it added to your existing policy.

Bear in mind that the more coverage you want, the more you’ll have to pay your insurer.

If you’ve suffered from mold damage and it fits the conditions of your coverage then file a claim with your insurance company. In case your insurer denies the claim, consult a property lawyer.

Arnesen Webb, P.A. is a Florida-based, property insurance law firm. The law firm has a team of competent attorneys that are specialists in property law. Their team of lawyers represents clients in various home insurance claims regarding fire damage, mold, hurricane damage and marine damage. Contact them today.