Mold itself probably isn't covered by your homeowners insurance policy, but it could be covered as a symptom of a larger problem.
Nobody likes mold. It’s bad enough if it’s on your food, but it’s really bad when it’s on your valuable objects, especially your home
. Mold can be a pain for a homeowner (or even a renter), so you should make an effort to prevent it all together.
Take as many steps as possible to keep your home from developing a mold problem. Sometimes, however, you can’t keep your home from having mold. And when that happens, you’ll need mold remediation.
Many problems with a home can be covered, or at least partially covered, with your homeowners insurance
. Read this guide by Jerry
to find out if mold remediation is covered by your homeowners policy. RECOMMENDEDNo spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms
What is mold remediation?
Mold remediation is really just the technical term for "mold removal," and one that covers the process a little more accurately.
A small amount of mold spores exist almost everywhere, so you can’t actually remove all the mold from your home. You can, however, remediate it, which removes excess mold until you’re down to the normal levels that you can’t see or sense, but still exist.
MORE: What does home insurance coverage include and exclude?
Does homeowners insurance cover mold?
It can be confusing to read your homeowners insurance policy and try to figure out if mold is covered. Descriptions are often vague, so let's simplify it.
In and of itself, mold remediation and removal is not covered by homeowners insurance. But if your home develops mold as a result of something that is covered by your homeowners insurance plan, then remediation will be covered.
In other words, mold is not covered by homeowners insurance if it’s the problem. But if it’s the symptom of a problem that is covered, your homeowners insurance will cover mold remediation costs.
If that’s still confusing, think of it as similar to personal property in your home. If you lose or break a piece of jewelry, your homeowners insurance will cover that. But if your home is broken into and that results in stolen jewelry, then you may be reimbursed.
Key Takeaway Homeowners insurance does not cover mold removal unless the mold is caused by a greater problem that is covered.
Examples of when homeowners insurance covers mold removal
Many things could cause mold remediation to be covered under your homeowners insurance plan. If, for instance, there’s a fire in your home, and water damage from the firefighters (or moisture from the fire extinguishers) causes mold, then remediation would likely be covered.
If you have an issue with your dishwasher or water heater that causes a water leakage, which leads to mold, then homeowners insurance would cover mold remediation.
Any other event that is covered by your homeowners insurance policy and eventually leads to mold in your home, should allow for mold remediation coverage, since the mold is a symptom of the event that’s being covered.
Examples of when homeowners insurance does not cover mold remediation
Anything not covered by your policy that causes mold won’t be covered. Mold that springs up as a result of flooding
will not be covered by your homeowners insurance unless you specifically have flood protection. Mold in your bathroom from steam generated by your shower won’t be covered. Mold that is a result of spilling things, not cleaning properly, or a leaky roof
is not going to be covered through your homeowners insurance plan. If your homeowners insurance policy covers the cause of the mold, then it should cover mold remediation as well.
FAQs
Does homeowners insurance cover black mold?
Homeowners insurance will cover black mold removal the same way it covers regular mold removal–if your policy covers the main cause of the black mold, the removal will be covered.
Does homeowners insurance cover water damage and mold?
Some homeowners insurance policies may cover water damage, but you will need to check to be sure. You may have to purchase water damage or flood protection as an add-on.
If you do have water damage coverage, any mold that grows as a result of water damage should be covered by your homeowners insurance.
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