Three Situations When Mold Growth is Covered by Insurance

3/14/2019 (Permalink)

Fungus in crawl space in a Sara,WA home

Ocassions When You Can Expect Your Insurance to Pay for Mold Damage 

If you have discovered a fungus growth in your Sara, WA home, you might be wondering whether your homeowner’s insurance will cover this type of damage. The answer is sometimes. While mold is generally not covered under this kind of policy, there are exceptions. Here are a few occasions when you can expect your insurance to pay for mold damages.

1. When It Is Caused By a Covered Peril
Mold coverage often depends on the source of the growth. Damage caused by something that your insurance already covers will likely be included. Incidents such as broken pipes caused by freezing, overflow related to appliances or plumbing and water damage caused by snow, sleet or ice will usually be covered. If the water damage is caused by a flood, however, this will generally not be covered unless you have a flood policy.

2. When It is Sudden and Accidental
While your insurance policy may cover mold in some cases, this only applies if the damage was not caused by negligence on your part. If a pipe breaks because it was not properly maintained or if you fail to notice the damage until quite a bit of time has passed, then the insurance company may determine that the fungus growth is a result of improper home maintenance and they will refuse to cover it.

3. When You Have a Separate Mold Policy
In some cases, you may be able to have separate mold insurance added to your policy for an additional cost. Some companies might limit the amount of mold damage you can claim or the services that are included, but this is better than no coverage at all.

If you are concerned about a fungus growth in your home, it is a good idea to hire a professional mold remediation service. In some cases, the cost will be covered by your insurance. Always be sure to regularly maintain your home and check for damages to prevent the coverage from being denied by your insurer.