When you live in humid weather like in Florida, you need a good insurance company that will help you with the Mold Remediation in Boca Raton. Molds are common in this region and dangerous to your health and the safety of your home. Many insurance companies in Boca Raton provide coverage for mold damages to your home.
There is a lot to know about insurance coverage of mold in Boca Raton but we should start with the things that cause mold in the first place.
What are the Causes of Mold in Boca Raton?
Molds are generally caused by moisture, but the moisture source causes contention between insurance companies and homeowners. This is because the cause of the mold in your home may determine whether you get a payout from your policy or not. At this point, we will examine some of the common causes of mold in Boca Raton and how they affect your insurance claim.
Appliance Leaks
The most common sources of moisture that lead to molds are often related to appliance leaks. Several appliances within a home can develop a fault and start leaking. When this happens, the water/moisture accumulates and causes mold. Regular appliances that leak include air conditioners, drain lines, hot water tanks, shower pans, refrigerators, slabs, and more.
If any of these leaks cause mold to form in your home, you can get your insurance company to cover the damage. The major task is to prove that the leak is not your fault. It must not be from a lack of proper maintenance, or your policy will not cover the cost of repair.
Accidental Breaks/Sudden Events
Another leak source that may lead to water damage is accidental breaks and sudden events that let out water. This can be as obvious as a burst water pipe or as silent as a roof leak. The latter is very dangerous because most roof leaks are not detected until molds start forming in the areas around them.
When you ask questions like “Do insurance companies cover mold in Boca Raton,” you should remember that the answer is not an automatic yes. The company will only pay you for remediation if you can prove that the mold is caused by something you cannot help and not due to your carelessness or nonchalance.
Plumbing Issues
Plumbing issues are often the source of molds in Boca Raton homes. It is very common to see molds grow out of moisture leaked from broken toilet lines, drain lines, shower leaks, drippy taps, and so on. Before you file an insurance claim on issues like these, you should call a plumber over to take a look.
You should also get a public adjuster or insurance attorney to help with your case. If you fail to convince the insurance company that the leak that led to the mold was not a result of your negligence, your claim may fail.
What Is The Process of Mold Remediation in Boca Raton?
The process of repairing mold is called remediation. Mold is a serious condition that may lead to extensive damage. To remediate molds in Boca Raton, you need to hire the right set of people to do their jobs. These are some of the steps involved:
Consult a Remediation Expert
Once you suspect (either by sight or smell), you should schedule an appointment with a remediation expert. If you are in Boca Raton, you can reach out to Erica's Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Restoration. Once you have an expert on board, they can help you determine the other steps you need to take.
These steps will include documenting the damage and the extent of repair that needs to be done. Remediation experts will also tell you if the damage is enough to call your insurance company over. This is the same way they will let you know if you need more insurance coverage for mold in Boca Raton than what your policy offers you.
Hire a Public Adjuster or an Insurance Attorney
It also helps to have a public adjuster on hand. These public adjusters are experts who determine the extent of mold damage and document it for insurance claim purposes. Your public adjuster will also help you negotiate with your insurance company to get the best deal when you file your claim. There are also insurance attorneys who specialize in this area and can help you equally.
The main benefit of having a public adjuster or insurance attorney with you is that they will use their knowledge, skills, and experience to help you out. They know the right way to file your claim to get the best result. This is in addition to helping to take an inventory of the damage and document it.
Call your Insurance Company
If you want answers to the question “Do insurance companies cover mold in Boca Raton” this is where you will get your answers. When buying a home, you should get homeowners insurance. That insurance covers molds, amongst other things. Once your insurance agent arrives, they will observe the situation concerning your claim and decide whether you can get a payout or not.
When your insurance company arrives, you will have to show them the area affected by the mold. You can also get your public adjuster or attorney to negotiate with them to ensure that you get your dues. Finally, you can browse through some of the best insurance companies in Boca Raton to know which has the most suitable policy for you.
Remediate the Mold
Finally, you can get to remediating the mold. This is a technical task, and you have to ensure that you employ the right person for it. That right person must have the skills and experience needed to tear down a part of a building, remove the mold, and reconstruct it. If the remediation is not done properly, it may cause greater damage to your property.
Remediating mold is also not something you should do by yourself if you are not a professional. It requires you to remove some parts of the building and rebuild healthily. If you try to take shortcuts like bleaching or painting over the affected area, it will not last. It may also cause the situation to worsen. Hence, it is better to do everything by the book.
How to Get Insurance Coverage for Mold in Boca Raton
Mold remediation is quite expensive, and it is better to have an insurance policy to help you out. Understanding the importance is why we encourage you to get insurance early and get the right coverage. You can ask the insurance agents about the best policies you can get in addition to the homeowners’ policy that will help cover the cost of remediation when the time comes. Here we go:
Consult an Insurance Company
Getting mold insurance starts by consulting various insurance companies in Boca Raton. Before you sign up, you should compare their policies, premiums, coverage, and other important details. Then, as questions when you are in doubt and need extra assurance, you can go online to read their reviews from third-party websites.
Get Homeowners Insurance
The first step to getting insurance coverage for mold in Boca Raton is to have homeowners insurance from the onset. Then, you can rely on the policy when you have mold issues in your home, and you may not have to pay from your pocket. The word “may” applies because there are instances when you have to pay for mold remediation by yourself, even when you have an insurance policy in place. We will get to those in the next section.
Pay Your Premiums
An important step to getting insurance coverage for any risk is to pay your premiums dutifully. All the monthly and yearly payments will be worth it when you don’t have to run around for money to fix damage to your home. After paying your premiums, your insurance company steps in when you experience the damage your policy covers.
File a Claim When Needed
Now that you have confirmed the presence of mold in your home, you can file a claim to make your insurance company pay for the remediation. If your claim is successful, you will appreciate the sacrifice of getting insurance and paying regular premiums.
Remember to get an insurance attorney to guide you in the process. This ensures that the insurance company does not try to weasel out of compensating you by using technicalities against you. Unfortunately, this is common as insurance companies grow more reluctant to pay insurance claims for mold.
Receive Your Payout to Remediate your home
You can receive the insurance payout to remediate your home. The laws stipulate a minimum of $10,000 insurance payout for mold claims. You can use this money to fix the parts of your building molds that have been affected.
Common Insurance Problem with Mold in Boca Raton
We wish insurance claims for mold were straightforward, but it is not. Homeowners who want Mold remediation in Boca Raton to be covered by insurance often experience some problems. We have explained some of those problems below:
Insufficient Insurance Payouts
The first and most common problem affecting insurance coverage for mold in Boca Raton is the insufficiency of payouts from insurance companies. Most insurance companies in Boca Raton pay the government-stipulated minimum of $10,000 and leave it at that.
Unfortunately, this amount is not enough in most instances to pay for the required remediation of the building, and homeowners have to look for alternative means of getting money to cover the remaining cost.
Bad Faith by Insurance Companies
Insurance companies in Boca Raton also engage in something known as bad faith. This is when an insurance company refuses to pay coverage on an insurance claim that is duly filled. If such happens to you, you can hire an attorney to help you file a suit against the insurance company.
Contact Us Today For Mold Remediation in Boca Raton!
The question, “Do insurance companies cover mold in Boca Raton” cannot be answered easily. Normally, mold is covered under your homeowners’ insurance, but there are instances when the insurance company will not pay you for the remediation. You now know all the details, so you should get a team of professionals around you to ensure the success of your mold remediation project. You should contact Erica's Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Restoration for mold remediation if you are in Boca Raton or environs.
