Will home insurance cover mold damage?
Short answer. Sometimes. Home insurance usually covers mold only when it results from a covered, sudden water loss, such as storm damage to the roof or a burst pipe, and only up to the policy's mold limit. Mold from humidity, slow leaks or poor maintenance is generally excluded.
The three questions an adjuster asks
- Was the water source covered? A roof opened by wind or hail, a burst supply line, or ice forcing water in usually qualifies. A worn out roof or a leaking shower pan usually does not.
- Was it sudden? Mold that grew from one event is treated differently from mold that grew over months of dripping.
- Was it reported and dried promptly? Policies require you to protect the property. Waiting weeks to dry a soaked ceiling invites a denial for the mold, even if the original leak was covered.
Covered and not covered examples
- Likely covered: a hailstorm fractures shingles, rain soaks the attic, you tarp and dry it within days, and mold appears on the decking anyway.
- Likely not covered: a pipe boot cracked years ago and a stain slowly spread across the ceiling with mold behind it.
- Likely not covered: attic mold on the north side of the roof from poor ventilation, which is common in humid Georgia summers.
Watch the limit
Many policies cap mold coverage at a dollar amount far below the dwelling limit. Ask your agent for the figure. If you have a claim, the cost of drying and removing wet materials may fall under the water damage coverage rather than the mold limit, so ask the adjuster how they are categorizing each item.
Because the storm date and the leak's entry point decide all of this, see date of loss and interior water damage coverage.