IS MOLD DAMAGE COVERED BY YOUR INSURANCE POLICY?

​In a recent entry, we spotlighted the potential danger posed by mold caused by flooding in Northern California. But is mold damage covered by homeowners’ insurance?
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The answer is a bit tricky, and we’ll talk about it in this issue.

​WHEN MOLD DAMAGE IS NOT COVERED BY HOME OWNERS’ INSURANCE

According to some major insurance providers, it depends on what the source of water and mold damage is. The majority of home insurance policies will not cover flood damage. But that doesn’t mean that claims made for mold damage are disregarded automatically.

Also, if the water damage and mold is actually the result of neglect on your part, you – not your insurance agent – will be on the hook for the cleanup.

WHEN MOLD DAMAGE IS COVERED

The keyword to look for in your insurance policy is “peril.” This can refer to things like pipes that have burst, an overflowing bath, a plumbing issue, etc.

In other words, if the mold is caused by something that’s already covered by your insurance, your mold damage should be covered.

MOLD GROWS WITHIN 48-72 HOURS

As we said in the earlier entry, our friends at Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), mold wastes no time in growing once the spores in are you home. How long? About 2-3 days. A troubling aspect is that you may not even see it because the spores may be growing behind walls, inside door frames, underneath floorboards or other easy-to-miss places.

HOW YOU CAN PREVENT MOLD SPORES FROM GROWING IN YOUR HOME

• Don’t use your central furnace or air-conditioning system if it or the ducts were flooded – if you do, you run the risk of having mold blown throughout your residence
• Use mops, buckets, a pump or wet vacuum to remove as much of the water as you can
• Pull up any wet carpeting as quickly as possible
• Get any wet items to an area that’s well-ventilated or outdoors so they can dry
• If mold has not started to grow, increase the air flow in your residence with portable fans

CALL THE MOLD REMEDIATION EXPERTS AT J&M KEYSTONE OF SAN DIEGO

​Here at J&M Keystone, we’re certified in home and business mold remediation. We’re available around the clock, so call us; our number is 800-368-2757.