Do you already have mold damage in your home? Does your insurance plan cover mold? Does homeowners insurance usually cover mold mitigation?
Home insurance companies usually don’t cover mold damage unless it’s directly related to a “covered peril.” However, there are instances when mold damage and mitigation might be covered. For example, if mold is growing due to a sudden pipe burst, recent roof damage, or if a recent fire caused mold, then there is a good chance that the homeowner’s insurance policy might cover the mold mitigation.
Some insurers offer limited coverage for mold claims. This may mean limiting how much the insurer will pay for a mold-related claim. Or an insurer may increase the cost of a home insurance policy if you have mold-related coverage. If you don’t have mold coverage, you can buy an endorsement to your insurance policy that adds mold coverage. An endorsement is when an insurance company adds additional coverage to a regular home insurance policy, for an additional fee.
Some home policies provide a limited amount of coverage for mold claims. This can be by capping the amount the insurer will pay, for example at $5,000, or stating that the insurer will only pay for certain services, such as clean-up, and excluding others, such as testing and remediation.
How To File a Homeowners Claim for Mold Damage
Here are a few steps to follow when you are considering filing a mold damage claim with your insurance company:
- Stop the leak. You might need to shut off the water to your home if you have a leaky pipe or patch a hole if there’s water coming from your roof.
- Remove the water with a mop or wet vac. If there’s a lot of damage or clean up, call a company that specializes in removing water and clean-up. Call a mitigation company like Expert Restoration of Utah to come in and help with water cleanup and do an evaluation of the mold for you. If water is present they will come out and dry the water before mold starts to grow. They will remove rugs, insulation, and any other materials that can collect water and become breeding grounds for mold. They will use fans and dehumidifiers to dry out the area too. They can detect the presence of mold, identify the amount of mold that is present, give you a plan for mitigating the mold, and provide you with a quote for mold mitigation.
- Next, if it makes sense to file a claim, you will need to contact your insurance agent or insurance company to notify them of the mold damage discovered. They will outline what the next steps are for submitting your mold damage claim.
- You will need to gather the evidence. You can do this by taking several pictures of the damages. Pictures should be taken of any mold that is visible before anyone comes out and resolves the issue. Keep in mind that mold only needs 24 hours and moisture to begin to grow.
- Once your insurance claim goes through and resolves all damages, keep any documentation and images. If mold later grows in that area and the growth is due to the initial incident, then your insurance company will likely have to cover the costs of going back in and fixing the problem.
