Is mold ever covered by insurance?

[Sticky]

I have a friend that has mold in his basement. He said there is obvious water damage. Is mold ever covered by insurance?
If so, what are the reasons why it would be covered?
I have to go look at this job in an hour.

 

[Desk Jockey]

We look at a lot of mold that has coverage, the problem is most of it has a cap of $5,000.00.

So we actually do very little, while $5,000.00 might be enough to cover our bill on a small tear out, it leaves them little or nothing for the put back.

 

[Sticky]

just got back from looking at the job. Its a crack in the corner of the foundation. There is a gutter drain pipe directing water right into the crack. The basement is damp and there was a ton of mold. There was a futon in the corner just covered in mold. It's an unfinished basement.
What should we do next? This is a friend of mine from the country club and I want to hook him up.

 

[dealtimeman]

first of all take care of the cause of the moisture. and make sure no more moisture is being introduced in to the affected area. are you going to clean it or are you going to have someone else do it? do you have any drying equipment? do you have a qutenary disefentanct ( microban, milgo, quat 64)? do you have access to a hepa water vac?

 

[Sticky]

Thats what I told him...We have to take care of the foundation, then dry the structor, contain area, put airscruber down there, dehu's and fans.
Apply microban and sporicidin. then seal the area. If its covered by insurance we will soda blast the walls.

What should I do before we call the insurance co? Is there anything that can help it get covered or stop it from being covered?

 

[Desk Jockey]

First of all for my attorney sake let me say I'm not acting as a consultant. :mrgreen:

Get the water away from the house. Extend the down spout as far as you can, at least 6-10 ft, get it away from the foundation. Check all their downspouts, people often neglect it and it later causes them problems with cracks and shifting.


Toss everything that's contaminated, wash it down and dry it. The crack, back hoe, dig it down to the base find the crack, patch the crack and seal it. They make a membrane that can be put on the area before you back fill.

 

[Sticky]

do you think a crack in the foundation would be covered by insurance?

thanks for the help guys I really appreciate it....

 

[Desk Jockey]

Doubtful it will be covered, it's cause by ground water and lack of maintenance. Doesn't mean it's not worth a try, but I wouldn't get my hopes up.

I've seen an agent stand on the adjuster to cover something that probably shouldn't have in a high dollar home.

Of course I switched my insurance to that agent afterward s, if I have a loss I want someone in my corner.

 

[Hoody]

Rob,

I'm only saying this because I don't want to see you get into trouble. Get that sealing crap out of your head. Fungicidal coating or not.

GET RID OF IT BY CLEANING(washing, soda blasting, dry ice, ect).

Place a barrier so that nothing can spread.
Wear your proper PPE.
Run your air scrubbers as you're cleaning to contain the contamination.
Wash it with one of the methods above.
Sealing isn't removing bro, you're just covering up the problem. Its an old out-dated method that has gotten many in lots of trouble.
After you clean it, I would HEPA vac ALL surfaces(floors, walls, ceiling).
Check the floor joists for the first floor! If they're wood you're going to want to soda blast.
Get it dry!

Those fungicidal coatings are really meant for new construction homes in humid areas, to prevent mold and mildew as they have an obvious problem with that living in a humid area. Unfortunately some have decided to follow the "if you can see it its not there". I've heard of lots of things; mixing microban, and other quats/stats & biocides in Binn or Kilz and calling it good. On porous materials I don't recommend using them for mold jobs. Now a product like Fosters 40-20 for duct work(metal only) not an issue. Speaking of, check the duct work. The furnace is usually in the basement, that makes me worry that airborne mold could have spread to other areas of the home now.

After you're certain that the mold has been properly delt with, THEN paint/seal, and really thats just a cosmetic so that the area looks nice.

If I didn't do a mold job right for a friend, and he found out. I would expect him to sue me. Just cover your ass, and do your due diligence! Its your decision what you do, though.

P.S. Don't forget your third party testing, so you know its good!

 

[Sticky]

Obviously I was going to wipe it down with sporicidin but as far as getting the black off the block, how can you get the black off? I scrubbed with a steal brissel brush. My only option is to seal it?

Thanks for your help. The job I am finshing up(different job)... I sprayed mold with Microban blue label, shock wave and sporicidin. I borrowed my buddies hepa vac. I've scrubbed and got all visible growth off. Now I am going to seal it with an anti microbial coating. Adjuster wouldn't let me soda blast. Trust me I tried to sell it. I had an IH come in and followed proto-call. What else should have I done?

Area was contained from day one. (cat 3)
I've had an air scrubber in there since day one. (cat 3 ) 44 days/$127
The adjuster held up the claim waiting for city to approve. I got paid extended days for my equipment. 13 days for 2 -200hts and 12 airmovers. He had no problem paying either! Not bad for just starting.

 

[Hoody]

Good deal! Look into getting a power washer w/ a chem injection unit on it. The only thing I can think of is after cleaning and getting it dry to have your testing done, and then seal.

 

[Supersucker]

Um, no.

Losses We Do Not Cover Under Coverages
A and B:
We do not cover loss to the property described in
Coverage A Dwelling Protection or Coverage B
Other Structures Protection consisting of or
caused by:

5. Earth movement of any type, including, but not
limited to earthquake, volcanic eruption, lava
flow, landslide, subsidence,mudflow, pressure,
sinkhole, erosion, or the sinking, rising, shifting,
creeping, expanding, bulging, cracking, settling
or contracting of the earth. This exclusion applies
whether or not the earth movement is combined
with water

Good idea to learn the policy as it sucks to tell someone that damage would be covered and then, no coverage.

 

[Hoody]

When restorers learn their job is to repair the loss and not determine the home owners policy we'll all be better off. Trying to play adjuster will piss off both the adjuster, and the homeowner. I've done it once, and wont ever do it again.