Winter storm systems deposit snow, rain and ice across most regions of the country. When the frost thaws, however, unprepared homeowners could find their homes infiltrated by mold. Heating systems paired with moisture can create the perfect incubators for cultures that grow and rot through the structural integrity of properties, and cause property damage that some insurance policies don't cover.
One of the trickiest parts of insuring homes against mold damage is identifying the cause. There are times when mold results from an isolated event, like a flash flood or another natural disaster. However, estimators sometimes struggle to determine whether the cultures have proliferated as the result of owner neglect, so monitoring vulnerabilities before problems arise can save your bottom line when mold strikes. Taking photographs and including an assessment in homeowners' records can especially protect owners in areas prone to flooding or severe precipitation.
According to HouseLogic, in the last decade, many states have set limits to the amount of coverage policy holders can receive to remediate mold, and to undo the secondary damage it can cause. That limit is often between $1,000 and $10,000. The site mocked up a typical mold claim resultant from an inch of floodwater, which included flooring, baseboard molding, drywall, cleanup and incidentals. Price tag: $7,800. It's impossible to know whether baseline coverage (if it's present in a policy at all) will be enough to fulfill that need.
As a result, homeowners can consider purchasing separate mold insurance. Flexible policies can be updated to reflect the risk of mold infiltration, and some companies offer additional coverage to protect your property in the event of an incident. As always, anticipating need and documenting vulnerabilities are the first steps to sufficient coverage.