Finding mold in your home — especially black mold — is distressing due to the harmful effects mold has on our health. Mold can cause allergy symptoms, worsen asthma or cause fungal infections.
When you find mold in your home, it should be removed right away by a professional. However, professional mold removal is very expensive. To offset these expenses, homeowners who discover mold in their homes might see if their homeowner’s insurance policy will cover the removal of the mold.
Mold coverage
Some homeowners’ insurance policies will cover mold damage if it is caused by a sudden or accidental event or an act of nature or another “covered peril,” and it is concealed from the homeowner until its discovery.
Hidden mold might include that found inside walls, above ceilings or under the floor. If this hidden mold was caused by a burst pipe, a malfunction in a major appliance that uses water or an overflowing commode, it might be covered by some homeowners’ insurance policies.
Exceptions to mold coverage
However, while hidden mold caused by natural disasters is sometimes covered by a homeowners’ insurance policy, in general mold caused by flooding will not be covered. A homeowner would need to purchase separate flood insurance for such coverage.
In addition, if the mold was caused by clogged sewers or broken sump pumps, inadequate ventilation or if it was due to the homeowner’s neglect it generally will not be covered by a homeowner’s insurance policy.
If your homeowners’ insurance policy does not cover mold damage, you might need to purchase supplemental water backup coverage and/or hidden water damage coverage for mold damage.
Denied claims
Mold damage in our home can hurt the structure of our home and our health. It is expensive to remove, but some homeowners’ insurance policies will cover mold damage.
If your policy states it covers mold damage, but the insurer has denied your mold damage claim, you might have legal remedies to pursue that will result in the coverage of the costs associated with the removal of the mold.