Mold: A Comprehensive Insurance Claims Guide For Homeowners

Mold: A Comprehensive Insurance Claims Guide For Homeowners

Being a homeowner in Florida certainly has its challenges. In addition to preparing for hurricanes, being mindful of flood zones, humidity, intense heat, and inclement weather all pose a unique challenge to homeowners in Florida; mold. Whether the mold damage occurs naturally over time due to a roof leak, a broken pipe leaking in the middle of the night unnoticed, a faulty air conditioning system, or the most extreme cause of mold damage- a catastrophic flooding of your home or business; mold damage is a homeowner’s worst nightmare. Let’s say you discover an extensive mold damage issue and are prepared to handle the situation head on. “No problem,” you think to yourself, “I have homeowner’s insurance, that should cover my mold damage insurance claim right?” Unfortunately, handling a mold damage insurance claim isn’t as straightforward as you might think. We’ve put together this handy guide to walk you through filing a mold damage claim, to help you understand the scope of the issue, and what the next steps should be. If you’re unsure about where to start or what to do, we offer a FREE NO COST home inspection to help you deal with a mold damage issue, and are mold damage claims experts!

What Does My Home Warranty Cover?

Many responsible homeowners will often purchase a home warranty from companies like:

• American Home Shield
• First American Home Warranty
• HSA Home Warranties
• Sear Home Warranties
• Select Home Warranty
• Choice Home Warranty
• American Home Warranties
• Do I Need a Home Warranty?
• Home Warranty Of America
• Choice Home Warranty
• Complete Home Warranty

Unfortunately many homeowners are shocked to discover that home warranties, while fantastic for smaller appliances and certain home goods, DO NOT cover mold damage! A home warranty typically is a service agreement that covers the repair or replacement of some major home system components and appliances that typically breakdown over time due to normal wear and tear. Mold damage is not something that would fall under or be consider normal wear and tear; mold damage coverage is a frequently asked question about home warranties. Mold damage is however sometimes covered under your homeowner’s insurance policy, and filing an insurance claim for mold damage is the correct step to take after experiencing any type of mold damage in your home.

Mold Damage Facts and Statistics

• Higher-than-normal indoor humidity levels can lead to the growth of mold. Keeping your indoor humidity below 45% can help control the growth of mold.
• Recent studies have linked early mold exposure to the development of asthma in some children.
• In 2016, Florida received 63 inches of rain. Water is the growth source of mold.
• Florida has been affected by more hurricanes than any other state in the U.S.
• Mold infestations can cause rotting wood or walls and can lead to the condemnation of a house.
• Mold is naturally occurring in the indoor and outdoor world; the spores will only grow when given an optimal environment
• The national average cost of mold remediation is $2,239.
• Mold can begin growing in just 24 hours.
• Not all mold damage is visible.
• Maintenance related mold damage is often not covered by homeowner’s insurance policies.

Mold Remediation and Mold Removal: How to Properly Handle Mold Damage

The fundamental issue of mold is a moisture problem; mold needs moisture to grow and survive. Because some mold is not visible, it can be very difficult to diagnose the extent of mold damage as a homeowner. Also, mold typically spreads and grows beyond the area where it initially sprung from. A mold damage inspection should be thorough and involve the entire home. The first thing you should always do is stop the mold damage from growing and spreading. Stopping mold growth is best done by finding the source and taking whatever immediate action possible to limit the extent of the damage. Mold spores are always there; you cannot completely remove mold from homes- no matter what false promises are made from mold removal companies. You can control an existing mold problem or replace what has been damaged by mold. Mold is naturally occurring and can only be managed, cleaned and prevented.
Cleaning and managing a mold issue is often a thorough and expensive process that may not be covered under your initial insurance claim. Allowing Sentry to handle your mold damage insurance claim will help you receive the best compensation for your damages. We want to help you make your home as safe as possible. There are few things that you can do immediately to mitigate a mold damage issue in your home. You can:

• Time is of the essence, and it’s important to lower the humidity and temperature if possible. If an improper window seal was allowing in humid air and moisture, seal the window, and turn on the air condition.
• Isolate any moldy objects. Seal moldy trash in plastic bags and remove them immediately. If the mold damage has spread to household items like a couch or chair, anything remove-able, get it out of the house.
• Keep the area clean. Mold may remain on shelves, cupboards, or places where light and air don’t reach consistently. Clean these surfaces with a disinfectant such as bleach or Lysol, and then increase air circulation in the room.
• Increase air flow and circulation to dry out the affected area. Use fans only after moldy objects are removed and all display and storage areas are clean.

What Does our Mold Insurance Claim Adjustment Process Look Like?

The process begins with a FREE in-depth evaluation and inspection of the mold damages to your home. Sentry’s mold damage assessment is an extensive process due to how mold damage can infiltrate unsuspecting places in your home. The attention to detail in our mold damage inspection is to ensure that your home is properly evaluated. There is NO COST to you up-front for the inspection and can be scheduled at your convenience. We correctly document all mold damages and oversee the submitting of the mold damages claim. Sentry’s mold damage adjustment services are as such:

• A fine-toothed combing of your homeowner’s insurance policy to see what your coverage is for mold damages that have occurred.
• Evaluate in detail and substantiate the total losses, replacement costs if the damage is not repairable, and additional expenses from mold damage.
• Calculate losses from business interruptions and additional expense claims for businesses.
• Present all information collected from inspection, evaluation and the mold damage claim to your insurance company.
• Advocate with your insurance company on your behalf.

Why Choose Sentry Public Adjusting?

We know the pride and responsibility that comes with being a homeowner. When your home is damaged, you may feel at a loss. We know the stress and turmoil that comes after the initial shock of mold damage to your home. Sentry will advocate for you to ensure that you get the most compensation from your homeowner’s insurance claim. We want to help return your home to its original beauty.