One of the most revolting situations for a homeowner is dealing with unexpected mold damage. When mold is discovered, your gut reaction is to throw everything away that it ever came into contact with. The trouble is when you get into tearing down drywall or any type of remodeling work, it can become pretty costly. One of the most asked questions in the insurance field is “does my homeowner’s insurance cover mold?” Well, the answer is “it depends”. In this blog we will let you know what situations can warrant insurance coverage and what to do about it.
Situations That Usually Warrant Mold Damage
Everyone’s homeowner’s policy will be different. The first thing you will want to look for is a section called “covered peril”. Peril usually refers to a situation that is not preventable. An example could be from “acts of God”, like fire to random events such as a car driving into your house.
Here is a list of certain situations we commonly see covered that cause mold damage:
- Weight of Snow or Ice on Your Roof
- Vandalism
- Fire
- Wind Damage
- Flood Damage
- Frozen Pipes
- Falling Objects
There are other surprising events you wouldn’t think would count as a peril type of situation. Sewer back-up clean-up or damage from a washer hose springing a leak are sometimes considered to be covered by insurance. Something to note is that most claims are created due to situations such as these considered “sudden accidents”. Weather-related or “acts of God” events aren’t as common as you would think.
Some situations you might consider “accidental” can depend upon the details associated with the event. One of the most common details noted is how sudden the damaging incident occurred.
Here are some situations that probably won’t be covered due to the circumstance:
- You have damaged shingles on your 45-year-old roof that let in water and now the water has lead to mold in your attic insulation and wood structure.
- Your 15-year-old water heater has been leaking for weeks and you just haven’t gotten around to replacing it or dealing with the damage.
Damage that has the potential to grow over time will do so. Time does not slow down for you to catch up when you get around to it. Most Insurance policies won’t be likely to cover an event that had the potential to be prevented. Responsibility to take basic care of your property is expected.
What Steps Should I Take When Considering If I’m Covered or Not?
Number one, when dealing with the mystery of mold damage is figuring out why it has occurred. Once you know that, it will be easier to distinguish where your coverage begins. Next you will want to check out your home insurance policy. If you see the term “Covered Peril” that’s a good start. Look for all the items listed and see if your situation matches any of them.
You will also want to check your home insurance policy for the verbiage “mold claims”. There are some companies that offer strait up coverage for mold damage, regardless. However, this kind of coverage might have a cap on expenditures. Some insurance policies can be tailored to add mold coverage for a fee.
We are big believers in “if you don’t ask, you’ll never know”. If you have looked over your home insurance policy and it’s causing your eyes to cross and your brain to swell, don’t fret. Just give the team at Greg Fay Insurance a call. Someone from our small family-owned insurance agency will help you look over your policy on what coverage is possible.
We understand how frustrating it can be when you are in a bad situation. You need help quickly and easily. Don’t hesitate to give us a call anytime. We are here for you!
