Mold Resources

Considering that one inch of rain can cause $25,000 of damage to a home, and that’s not even including remediation, it’s crucial to have the coverage you need and deserve. Otherwise, you could be staring at a giant bill and have to make a decision on whether or not you can afford the cost of making your home a safe environment once again. 

As we saw with Hurricane Katrina, far too many individuals were forced to completely abandon their homes due to the massive amount of funding required to deal with the damage.

Looking to Insurance

Having the correct insurance for hurricanes and mold is a crucial piece of the puzzle. 

A key point to remember is that standard homeowners' and renters' insurance typically does not cover hurricane damage. Oftentimes, you need to purchase additional flooding and wind protection for assistance. That way, you’re covered for any unexpected events including mold after a hurricane. 

Coverage for mold is also not standard in homeowners' and renters' insurance, so this should be another additional layer of protection added to any policy. It may be covered by flood insurance, but double-check to be sure. Also, pay attention to how much coverage is offered. Usually, the amount is around $10,000, which does not always cover the hefty price tag of remediation. That can leave you with a huge bill to decontaminate the space. Weaving in other policies like property damage, flood damage, loss of use, and personal damage can help mitigate what could be an expensive remediation treatment.

Even with all this protection, it’s important to look at what exactly those policies cover, the amount that you’ll receive for damages, deductibles required, and any specific exclusions prohibiting coverage. While this may seem like a lot of work or extra money, having extensive coverage can help you as a policyholder focus on rebuilding instead of fretting about the high cost or potentially cutting corners that will not resolve the toxic indoor environment.

Renter’s Dealing With Flooding

For renters, insurance is a huge part of dealing with mold after a hurricane (and flooding in general), but the lease and local laws are also parts of the puzzle. Take a deep dive into what actions your landlord must take based on the lease agreement, what your insurance actually covers, and your local laws. That way, you can have a plan in place for what to expect should a water damage event occur in your home. 

Purchasing additional flood insurance is absolutely a good idea. This will offer assistance with any belongings ruined due to hurricane damage. Most renter's insurance covers wind damage, but double-check just to make sure because this coverage is sometimes excluded in high-risk areas. 

It may also be worth it to discuss it with the landlord before any event happens so that you can have peace of mind that they have your health and wellness at heart. If you know their plan will not resolve the problem or deal with potential contamination, it may be time to consider a new location. 

Unfortunately, protection for renters dealing with hurricane damage and mold is nowhere near where it should be. Getting this out of the way early on can help ensure that you’re covered should any issue pop up in the future. Otherwise, you could be looking at limited coverage and assistance for both ruined belongings and mold after a flood.

To learn more about protecting a home from water damage from a hurricane, click here. 

To learn more about protecting your home from mold before a hurricane hits, click here. 

To learn more about protecting your home from mold after a hurricane hits, click here. 

To learn more about checking for mold after a hurricane hits, click here.