For many homes in central Pennsylvania, mold is a lingering threat that can stay in your home undetected for a while, but when it starts to grow, it typically spreads like a wildfire. Having mold in your home not only poses a structural risk, especially for wooden components of your home, but can also cause serious health issues like coughing, trouble breathing, and in serious cases, lead to lung infection.
Because mold is such a damaging issue, many homeowners wonder if insurance will cover damage caused by mold. While the answer to that will depend on your specific policy, there are a few general rules of thumb that can help you navigate whether or not your mold issue is covered.
When Is Mold Damage Covered By Homeowners Insurance?
In the majority of cases, mold is only covered under insurance if it is caused by what’s called “sudden peril”. Sudden peril is an unexpected and accidental event that causes damage to your home, like a fire or a hailstorm. For mold coverage, many companies will only cover the damage if the mold growth is a result of one of these events, such as a leaking dishwasher or water heater, a burst pipe, or from rainwater coming in from a damaged roof. In all of these cases, the mold is just a result of the sudden peril event. So while the mold itself isn’t covered, any damage from that event, including the mold, is covered.
When Is Mold Not Covered By Homeowner’s Insurance?
Like we discussed above, mold is usually not covered when it is a result of an ongoing issue or an event that could have been prevented. If your home has a small leak that hasn’t been fixed for months and mold starts to grow, insurance will likely not cover the damage because it could have been prevented by fixing the leak earlier. Additionally, insurance companies will not cover mold that is caused by excess humidity or poor ventilation, as this might be considered negligent.
Another important note is that while flooding usually fits the criteria of sudden peril, most ordinary homeowners insurance policies will not cover any mold damage that results. This is due to the fact that floods are rarely covered by traditional policies and usually require a separate add-on coverage. Flood insurance may cover flood-related mold issues, but a homeowner’s insurance policy likely wouldn’t.
Limitations For Mold Damage Coverage
Even when mold is covered, there are often limits to how much your insurance company will pay. Most homeowner’s policies cap mold coverage between $5,000 and $15,000. Mold remediation can be expensive, especially if walls, flooring, or HVAC systems are affected, so it is important to know your policy limits ahead of time.
For more coverage, some insurance companies allow homeowners to purchase additional mold coverage as an endorsement. This option can be valuable if you want higher limits and more protection against mold-related damages.
Let Strickler Insurance Navigate Your Coverage For Mold Damage
If these guidelines on mold insurance coverage for your home seem overwhelming, you are not alone. That’s why Strickler Insurance is here to help you navigate through your insurance needs and find the policy that fits all of your coverage and budget needs. Whether you are looking for home insurance, rental property insurance, flood insurance, or any other policy, our team is ready to find the coverage for you. Contact Strickler Insurance to get a free quote and start saving on insurance today.
