When Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Black Mold?

5/24/2021 (Permalink)

Contact the professionals at SERPVRO for any size mold restoration job!

Homeowners insurance is intended to protect you from a variety of damages, but you might be wondering if black mold is one of them. 

Black mold can be a hazardous type of potentially toxic fungi that grows in areas with high humidity and moisture levels. The professionals at SERVPRO understand how challenging it can be to deal with a mold issue. We have found that the worst mold damage situations are when a customer's homeowners insurance denies their claim. 

Black mold damage restoration needs to happen quickly, whether your homeowner's insurance covers it or not. Black mold can pollute the environment and can also challenge the structural integrity of your property.

In this blog post, you will find out when black mold is covered by homeowners insurance and when black mold coverage is not always guaranteed to be covered.

When will black mold damage be covered?

Typically speaking, black mold damage will be covered when it is related to a covered peril. A covered peril is an event that an insurance company agrees to reimburse the property for when a claim is filed. When it comes to black mold, a covered peril will include the following water damage situations: 

• Mold after a water leak caused by an appliance malfunction
• Mold caused by a pipe burst or damaged hot water heater
• Mold cause after fire damage is extinguished by water

As we mentioned earlier, black mold thrives in areas that have high humidity and high moisture levels. When water damage strikes a home, there will be a 48-hour window before mold begins to grow.

Two types of black mold claims that are not covered

Mold caused by flooding will need to be covered by a flood insurance policy. Typical homeowners insurance policies do not cover flooding because it is considered an act of God.

Another type of mold damage claim that may not be covered is mold damage that forms from negligence. Negligence is when a homeowner chooses to ignore home maintenance or repairs, causing the black mold damage to worsen.

How to ensure your black mold claim is approved.

As you learned earlier, your homeowner's insurance policy only protects against black mold damage only if they result from a particular condition that the coverage covers. (For example, water damage from a burst pipe can contribute to mold growth.)

To ensure that your black mold claim is covered, you must contact your homeowner's insurance provider at the first sign of black mold caused by water damage.

When you call your homeowners' insurance agent, you will be able to make a claim under your water damage coverage for mold removal and other restoration services for any property that is permanently affected by black mold. 

During the whole black mold claim process, you will want to ensure that you document everything with your smartphone. The pictures that you take should include all damaged items included both structurally and contents. 

Steps to take if your claim is declined.

The first thing that you should do when dealing with a denied claim is to examine your homeowner's insurance contract thoroughly to ensure that you are aware of your coverage. 

It is best not to start repairs until an insurance adjuster has assessed the damage but takes steps to avoid more damage. Any of the broken property should be photographed, videotaped, and inventoried.

It would be best if you looked into getting a second opinion from a licensed restoration contractor (like SERVPRO) to determine what induced the damage. If the restoration contractor finds that the black mold damage was from a covered peril, you can go through the appeals process with your insurance company.

Remember, homeowners insurance is intended to protect you from various damages, black mold being one of them, but only if a covered peril causes it. 

SERVPRO can help with any black mold claim

The team of professionals at SERVPRO of East Dayton/Beavercreek is available to help any homeowner worried about a black mold claim being denied. 

When you call us, we will look through your list of "covered perils" mentioned in your policy with you. In Dayton, we most commonly see mold growth caused by appliance leaks. When you call us, we will find the exact cause of the black mold and help you get your claim approved by your insurance company. 

Our SERVPRO team in Dayton is full of skilled restoration professionals and is ready to tackle any size disaster. We want to be your go-to resource when it comes to disaster recovery. Our team personally understands how exhausting and devastating it can be dealing with a black mold claim.

To ensure your claim gets approved, the professionals at SERVPRO of East Dayton/Beavercreek will provide an itemized loss inventory that includes pictures. Contact us today for our 24/7 available emergency services!