Who Pays for Mold Damage?

3/27/2020 (Permalink)

Who pays for mold coverage?

When homeowners get mold damage, they may have protection under specific policies from their insurance providers. If you live in an apartment in Mount Prospect, IL, however, you may be concerned about whether or not mold is covered by your rental insurance. Understanding your renters policy is key to knowing if a specific situation is covered or not.

Typical Coverage

Most rental policies cover a few basic claims:

• Damage repair for personal belongings
• Replacement for items that cannot be salvaged
• Temporary relocation costs
  

Mold removal is likely to be covered under a rental policy only if it the underlying peril that led to it was covered. For example, if a pipe bursts and the books in your library were waterlogged and then grew moldy, the work that mold remediation specialists do to save your books or replace the ones that can't be saved will probably be covered by your rental insurance. If the initial damage isn't covered, however, the claim for the resulting mold growth may be denied.

Typical Exclusions

There are several situations that can contribute to mold damage that are probably not going to be covered by your renters insurance policy. Flood damage from a storm or other natural disaster usually requires a separate flood policy. Unless you have such a policy, mold growth that occurs as a result of this type of flooding is unlikely to be covered by your insurance provider. Your rental policy also may not cover mold that results from a sewage backup. Finally, your policy probably won't cover mold growth that happens because you neglected to report a water leak or other maintenance issue.
Having rental insurance is important for apartment dwellers. It covers a lot of the damage that can happen to your personal property while you are renting your space. Mold mitigation doesn't always get covered under this policy, though. Knowing what your provider covers and doesn't cover can help you plan better for possible problems.