Where there’s water, there may be mold...
Mold issues can be dangerous and unsafe. Any time there’s a leak from your roof or plumbing mold can grow – quickly. Mold can begin to form within 24 hours before you may even realize that a leak has occurred at your home or office.
As mold is hard to see and pinpoint where and when the damage came from, dealing with mold issues with your insurance company can be range from annoying to downright difficult.
Proving the mold resulted due to a certain event is not always easy, but it is crucial if you are trying to receive the maximum payout. If you are experiencing mold damage and need to file a claim, or have been denied and need to resubmit your claim, make sure you know the proper way to go about handling your insurance company. Liberty Adjusters looks at how to submit mold insurance claim:
Reasons Mold Damage is Often Denied
Mold damage is costly and generally ranges from $10,000 to $15,000 to remediate properly. Due to this high price tag, insurance companies are less likely to payout, even if the mold is from a covered insurance issue.
Many insurance policies state a maximum limit of $1,000 to $10,000 for mold remediation. It is important to understand your current homeowner’s insurance policy and what it covers.
Insurance companies typically deny claims for mold damage by asserting:
the mold existed prior to the damaging event or loss,
that the mold was the result of improper mitigation,
result of some other cause that is not covered by your policy.
Do not be surprised if your insurance company basically (blatantly) lies and says the mold does not exist or is not covered.
This is why it is important to have an adjuster at your side to help fight for your health, home, and maximum payout for repairing the damage.
Mold needs to be properly remediated. That’s why you need an experienced insurance adjuster to manage the mold claim for you and get you the most possible for repairs. Call Liberty Insurance Adjusters 813-922-5129 or submit a claim today.
Covered Perils
A peril is a hazard or event that causes loss or damage. And when talking about a covered peril, this refers to the types of damages your home insurance will cover and pay. Homeowners insurance usually will not cover mold damage unless it’s directly related to a covered peril.
Most policies will cover mold damage that resulted from these covered perils:
Lightning
Accidental overflow or discharge of water/steam from plumbing, heating, air conditioners, sprinkler systems, or household appliances
Falling objects
Frozen pipes or weight of ice (yes, this can still happen here in Florida)
Theft or vandalism
Sadly, many homeowners will ask about mold from floodwaters. Flood damage from hurricanes or other storms is not covered by homeowner’s insurance and requires a separate flood insurance policy. We recommend you check your insurance policies yearly for the appropriate coverage as you need to have flood insurance or other coverage updates in place at least 30 days before the loss occurs.
If your mold damage was directly related to a covered peril, it is important to speak to a public insurance adjuster at Liberty Adjusters to make sure you are getting the maximum payout, as mold remediation is costly and could hurt you or your family members.
When Filing for Mold Damage
Mold should be remediated as soon as it is suspected. If you experienced a catastrophic flood, storm, or pipe burst, it is best to get a remediation team out within the first 48 hours to start drying out your property. This is crucial to preventing, containing, or slowing mold growth.
Here are steps to follow when you encounter mold damage issues:
Step 1: Contact Liberty Adjusters ASAP - that’s it. Our public adjusters will handle every step of your claim and on average get significantly more for your loss than submitting a mold insurance claim on your own. That said if you choose to submit your own mold claim, here are other steps to take...
Contact your homeowner insurance ASAP
Document the damage ASAP
*Photograph, videotape, and inventory all damaged property as well as the source and extent of the covered peril
Protect property from further damage
*Do not make any permanent repairs yet or dispose of any damaged property until it has been inspected
Review your policy carefully
Document and save all correspondences with your policyholder
Consider a separate independent estimate
*This can be useful if your insurance company comes back with a much lower estimate for mold repair – this is another opportunity to call in our insurance adjustment experts as we can step in on your behalf at any point of the claim process.
Submit a Mold Insurance Claim with Liberty Adjusters
Dealing with insurance companies, especially after a serious event leading to mold damage, can be stressful and time-consuming.
Some policies may include certain language about mold claims, including limited coverage. Working with a public adjuster will help to assure your mold damage was a result of the covered peril and it did not exist before the damage or loss.
Mold can be serious to your health and needs to be properly remediated. You need an experienced adjuster on your side that deals with insurance company mold claims daily. Contact us at 813-922-5129 or submit a claim today. At Liberty Insurance Adjusters, we never stop working to help you and your property be safe and whole!