You’ve found that your property, whether it be home or business, has a growth of mold. It will typically develop in warm, wet areas and reproduces through tiny spores that get shot out throughout your home but are invisible to the naked eye. If you’ve found that your property has had a water leak or poor ventilation that has led to a build-up of unexplained condensation - you may be liable to mold growth.

It is important that any mold growth is taken care of as quickly and efficiently as possible. A build-up of mold can and will affect the structural integrity of materials that it has grown upon. If there has been significant water intrusion that has led to the possibility of mold - those first 48 hours are crucial in stopping and containing the spread of the mold.

When is Mold Covered?

Homeowners' mold insurance claims often carry vague phrasing concerning mold coverage. It can be hard to conclude whether any mold damage you find will be covered by your insurance policy. Typically, policies bar coverage for mold damage, except when the mold is the result of a reported claim, for example, water damage.

Mold removal is only included in your insurance coverage when the cause of the mold is a hazard that is already covered in your homeowner's policy. Standard homeowners insurance policies defend you from water damage produced by sudden and accidental incidents

Examples of covered causes of mold:

AC water event from a broken PVC pipe as evidenced by a new pipe or joint installed by a plumber or homeowner

Kitchen cabinets that are water damaged, swollen, delaminating, and moldy due to any kind of leak inside the wall that could not be detected and would not be expected to be handled by normal maintenance.

Window leaks as a result of wind-driven rain from a hurricane are covered but the higher hurricane deductible applies

Roof leaks from any age roof as a result of a hurricane

If there is mold present, there are some important steps to take:

Identify the area present

Identify the amount of mold or how large the contaminated area is.

Take photographs of everything

Notify the insurance company from loss site by phone that there is mold

Call a licensed mold assessor if your insurance company has told you to

Get a licensed mold remediation company and prepare an estimated cost

Keep the insurance company advised on everything that is going on.

So, When Mold is Not Covered?

When it comes to mold damage applying for insurance to cover the cost can be a little trickier than expected. This is due to the different definitions of damage that insurance companies use in your contractual agreement with them. If you have water damage and it’s covered in your policy - insurance companies will happily pay for it. However, if you’ve neglected additional coverage (which would include mold) you may find your insurance claim being denied.

Examples not covered:

Areas with high moisture content that result in mold, but where there is no plumbing or roof leak

AC drain pan drip overflow that is defined as seepage or slow leak and not a result of a broken pipe

Kitchen cabinets that are water damaged or moldy due to a slow leak

Roof leaks due to poor maintenance

In short, the responsibility is on the property owner. If the insurance company find out that you haven’t been looking after your property, or that you’ve taken too long to report a problem, you won’t be entitled to a claim.

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