Homeowners insurance and mold

The question an adjuster asks

Policies are written by insurers and differ, so your own policy is the only final answer. But the pattern is consistent enough that state regulators publish it. The Texas Department of Insurance summarizes it this way: most homeowner and renters policies cover sudden and accidental water damage — a burst pipe, a toilet overflow, a broken washer hose — and if mold develops on a damaged item, it would be covered. Most home policies do not cover water damage from gradual leaks or seepage, and that includes damage from mold. Mold from a flood is not covered because home policies don't cover floods.

So the adjuster's first question is not "how much mold" but "where did the water come from, and when." A washer hose that split on Tuesday is a different claim from a shower pan that has seeped into the subfloor for a year, even if the mold looks the same.

Limits and endorsements

Many policies that do respond to mold cap it at a stated amount, and that one amount may have to cover removal, tearing out material to reach it, and any testing. Some policies add or limit mold cover by endorsement. Look at your declarations page and any endorsement that mentions fungi, mold, wet or dry rot, or bacteria. If you cannot find it, ask your agent in writing.

What protects a claim

• Speed. Report the loss promptly and stop the water. Policies generally expect you to protect the property from further damage, and EPA's 24 to 48 hour drying guidance is the practical version of that.
• Photographs before anything moves, including the source — the failed fitting, the stained ceiling, the water line.
• Keep what failed. The cracked supply line or the burst hose is evidence of a sudden failure.
• Written scope and invoices from whoever does the work, with dates.

Who does what

A contractor dries buildings and removes mold. Your insurer, or its adjuster, decides coverage. A contractor can document its work in detail for your claim; deciding what your policy covers is not its job. If you think a claim is being handled unfairly, West Virginia's Offices of the Insurance Commissioner has a Property and Casualty Consumer Services unit that takes questions and complaints about homeowners insurance.

Mold that predates the leak

If growth was already there before a covered event, expect the insurer to separate the two. An honest timeline — when you first noticed staining, smell or dampness — helps more than it hurts.

When you call about removal, say whether a claim is open and give the claim number if you have it. It changes how the job is documented, not who you can hire.