When Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Mold Damage?

3/29/2020 (Permalink)

When does homeowners insurance cover mold damage?

Fungus growth in your Santa Ana, CA, home can be an expensive problem to fix. You may thus be wondering if your homeowners' insurance policy can offset some of this cost. The answer: It depends.

Mold Insurance Coverage

In general, your homeowners' policy will cover the cost of mold cleanup if the fungus resulted from a covered peril. Covered perils typically include sudden and accidental incidents that damage your home. Common covered perils include:

• Frozen burst pipes
  
• Accidental discharge of water from appliances or sprinklers
  
• Falling objects
  
• The weight of snow, ice and sleet
  
  

Mold Endorsements

Even if the mold damage didn’t result from a covered peril, you still may get some money from your insurance provider. That’s because some insurers still offer limited coverage for mold claims.
You can also ask for a mold endorsement. This is an addition to your traditional homeowners' policy.
Of course, insurance companies hate risk. Therefore, they do not want to cover homes that have an increased chance of fungus growth. If your house is old or has a history of mold issues, the insurer may charge you more for a mold endorsement.
Just because you have mold coverage, however, doesn’t mean the insurance company will accept your claim. The insurer may not cover your loss unless you took proper steps to limit the buildup of mold in your home.

Mold Prevention

Mold relies on humid air and moisture. To prevent the insurer from denying your claim, you need to lower the humidity levels in your home as much as possible. You also should ventilate frequently wet areas such as the bathroom and laundry room. Finally, any water damage should be cleaned up right away.
Fungus growth is not always covered by a home insurance policy. Even if you do have mold insurance, it may be capped at a certain amount. To find out whether your policy covers mold damage, you should contact your insurance adjuster. You can also speak to your local mold remediation specialists.