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Is my mold remediation claim going to be covered by insurance? This is a question Water Mold Fire Restoration hears on a regular basis. And the answer is yes… and then again, no. You see, it all depends on the circumstances.
When Mold Remediation Isn’t Covered
A standard homeowner’s policy usually doesn’t cover mold removal when the mold resulted from a preventable water loss. If you knew your hot water heater was leaking but you failed to make any effort to correct the problem, your insurance company would consider the problem to be a maintenance issue and any damage resulting from it would not be covered. The problem was preventable because you knew the water heater was beginning to fail.
If the mold in your home is a result of a natural flood, water moving horizontally across the ground from a river, lake, ocean, or creek, it is not covered by a standard homeowner insurance policy. This type of coverage requires national flood insurance.
If the mold was a result of a sewer or drain backup, it would not be covered… unless you have a sewer and drain backup rider added to your policy. This coverage isn’t included on a standard policy but it can be purchased from most insurance companies. Most riders also have limitations on cleanup and repair costs, something else to be aware of when you go shopping for this type of coverage.
Insurance companies expect a homeowner to be proactive in maintaining their property. This is an important reason to stay on top of any repair issues and correct them before the allow water to enter and mold to grow.
When Mold Remediation Is Covered
In most cases, your insurance policy will cover mold remediation when the mold is a result of a “covered peril” (that’s a term straight out of the insurance company’s manual). Here are some examples of a covered peril:
- Fire
- Lightning
- Vandalism
- The discharge of water from plumbing, HVAC systems, household appliances, etc.
- Weight of snow, ices, or sleet
- Frozen pipes (as long as you didn’t turn off the heat)
- Falling objects (trees and UFO spaceships)
To clarify covered perils let’s look at a couple of examples:
While you are out of town for a conference the water supply line to your second floor toilet ruptures. Water runs for over 8 hours flooding the second floor bathroom and hallway, then collapses the living room ceiling floods the entire first floor. A neighbor sees the water running out the front door and has the water company shut the water off to your house. You come home to find mold growing up the wet walls. This would be covered because the insurance company acknowledges that the problem was “sudden and accidental”.
“Sudden and accidental” is a term that you should memorize and use whenever you are forced to file a homeowner insurance claim. Insurance companies like to hear that your water damage was “sudden and accidental”.
Your washing machine is located in the basement. Unknown to you, the hot water supply line springs a leak. One day you’re drawing a bathtub of water and you run out of hot water sooner than normal. You go to the basement to check out the water heater and discover the leaking hot water line on the washer. But not before mold has started to grow on the wet drywall. Even though the problem wasn’t sudden, it was accidental and the mold remediation would be covered by insurance.
Help Is Just a Phone Call Away
If you find mold in your home contact Water Mold Fire Restoration at 800-905-0277. Our certified mold remediation teams will safely and completely remove mold from your home. Our specialists are available 24/7. If you are seeking additional information concerning mold remediation you can also contact us via email at help@watermoldfire.net.
