Is Mold Covered by Homeowner's Insurance?

2/14/2020 (Permalink)

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Home insurance policies usually don't cover mold that resulted from a preventable water leak, flooding, or high humidity.

Home insurance companies also typically don't pay for maintenance issues that insurers think a homeowner should have prevented. Insurers expect homeowners to proactively take care of those problems before they need to file an insurance claim.

Home insurance covers mold if a "covered peril" caused the mold. In that case, your home insurance policy will likely pay for repairs and clean-up.

Here are some of home insurance's covered perils:

• Fire
• Lightning
• Vandalism or malicious mischief
• Damage caused by vehicles
• Theft
• Falling objects
• Weight of ice, snow, or sleet
• Accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam from plumbing, heating, air conditioners, sprinkler systems, or household appliances
• Frozen pipes

Check your homeowner’s insurance policy to see if there is any language about mold claims. Some insurers offer limited coverage for mold claims. This may mean limiting how much the insurer will pay for a mold-related claim. Or an insurer may increase the cost of a home insurance policy if you have mold-related coverage.

If you don't have mold coverage, you can buy an endorsement to your insurance policy that adds mold coverage. An endorsement is when an insurance company adds additional coverage to a regular home insurance policy, for an additional fee.