Devoted to the Insurance industry and all thing related

I was not aware that mold has not been scientifically proven to cause serious illness.  I thought mold was already a proven culprit but apparently some scientists “have found an association between so-called ‘sick-homes’ and respiratory problems” according to an article in Metrowestdailynews.com.

Michael Pugliese has written a book about mold titled “The Homeowner’s Guide to Mold” that says “mold can cause nervous system woes, such as headaches and tremors; depression and memory loss; fatigue, lack of energy; dizziness; nausea; low-grade fever; skin rashes, itching, welts or hives; and changes in or suppression of the immune system.”

The insurance industry has not made a definitive decision about how it wants to deal with mold coverage but “Massachusetts is one of 46 states as of October 2006 that have adopted an insurance industry standard to limit mold coverage from homeowners insurance policies, according to the Insurance Information Institute in New York.”  The limit lies in insurers only insuring a “covered peril.”

The Insurance Information Institute gave an example:

“The costs of cleaning up mold caused by water from a burst pipe or roof damage are "covered peril" under your insurance policy. Mold caused by excessive humidity, leaks, condensation or flooding is a maintenance issue for property owners to cover on their own, according to the institute.”

 

Pugliese gives some pointers about how to approach your insurance company before mold gets out of hand and mold remediation companies.  Please leave any comments about your experiences in dealing with mold and your insurer.

“Pugliese, a former insurance executive who wrote the book on mold, now helps homeowners fight their insurance company to get covered for mold damage. In an interview, he said the "covered peril" clause is key for homeowners looking to get covered for mold damage.

"Don't start screaming about mold to your insurance company, because you only have $10,000 of coverage," Pugliese said. (Remediating a mold claim could cost at least $25,000.) "You have to start with a water claim and call the insurance company right away."

Insurance companies have emergency services they can send out to help in such circumstances, but Pugliese said to watch what they do.

"You know it soaked up the walls if the guy pulls up the carpet and dries it," he said. "If the sheet rock is soaking wet they have to dry it out properly. They need to remove the base boards, remove the sheet rock and insulation until it's dry. Anyone doing a dry-out should run dehumidifiers as well as fans."

Pugliese also noted that bleach does not kill mold, it just bleaches the color out of it. Keeping your house dry is the only way to keep mold away, he said.

Next on the list of cautions is remediation companies looking for your dollars, he said.

"If someone says, 'You have mold, you have the bad stuff' - throw him out," he said. "There's a lot of mold con artists out there."

"If he's asking to see your insurance policy, that's the guy you want," he said. "He's looking to get paid and he should get paid."

On the other end of the problem, there are many ways to renew your home to prevent the return of mold, but the keys are keeping your home well-ventilated and preventing moisture build-up, he said.”