Will insurance pay for a mold clean up service?
Short answer. Insurance will pay a mold clean up service when the mold resulted from a covered water loss, usually up to the policy's mold sublimit. The safest path is to report the claim, get the company's written scope, and have the adjuster approve it before nonemergency work begins. Read any contract carefully before signing over your insurance payments to the company.
Hiring the service through a claim
- Report the water loss first. The mold claim depends on the water event being covered.
- Get a written scope. It should list containment, what will be removed, cleaning methods, equipment days and how clearance will be confirmed.
- Send it to the adjuster. Ask for written approval before the work starts, except emergency steps to stop spread.
- Track the work. Keep moisture readings, photos and daily logs.
- Match the invoice to the scope. Extra charges should be explained and approved.
What to check before hiring
- Industry certification in mold remediation and proof of liability insurance
- A clear explanation of how they will find and fix the moisture source
- Whether testing is done by an independent party, not the company doing the cleanup
- A fixed or itemized price, not open-ended time and materials with no cap
Payment arrangements
Some companies ask you to sign a direction to pay, which lets the insurer pay them directly, or an assignment that transfers your claim rights to them. A direction to pay keeps you in control of the claim. Georgia restricts residential contractors from taking an assignment of a homeowner's insurance proceeds within a year of a declared natural disaster, and any assignment deserves a careful read; see assignment of benefits in Georgia.
Fix the source
Cleanup is wasted if water keeps coming in. When the source is the roof, get it repaired first. See interior water damage from roof leaks.