Your homeowner's insurance probably covers a lot of things, but does it cover flooding and mold growth? The answer is that it probably does not because most homeowner's insurance companies do not cover natural floods at all (at least, not in their normal policies) and most will not cover mold growth unless it is due to something else that is a viable claim on the insurance policy.
For example, if a water pipe bursts in the house and mold starts growing before you can get it repaired completely, then the mold growth will be covered under your insurance policy because it was a direct result of something else that is covered under your policy. If, however, the mold growth is due to negligence regarding the moisture levels in different rooms of your home, it is not covered. Mold growth in the bathroom or kitchen is not considered normal wear and tear because it is almost completely avoidable as long as you make sure that the rooms are properly ventilated.
Another example of when mold growth would be covered under your insurance policy is if a tree limb falls on the house, punctures the roof, and allows rain inside, then it would be covered under your policy. Almost any time something is a direct result of another item covered in your homeowner's insurance policy it is covered by default.
To guard against being a victim of mold growth in your house, try to keep the humidity in your home down as much as possible, especially in rooms like the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room. Humidity and steam builds up in these rooms faster than you think and is absorbed into the walls. It will start to mildew over the next 24 to 48 hours before you even realize what is happening. This is rarely ever covered under your insurance policy, so make sure that these rooms are properly ventilated by installing an exhaust fan in each one of these rooms. This will draw the humid air outside the house instead of letting it build up inside. Making sure your dryer vent is expelling air outside the house correctly is also a good idea.
Sometimes mold is in the home when you purchase it and you do not realize it. The best thing to do when you buy a home is to have a complete home inspection done to make sure mold does not exist on the property. Your insurance policy will likely not cover any pre-existing mold on the property.
Water damage can be quite disastrous. If you have a home insurance policy, it's essential to know what is covered in the policy for which claim payments would be made on account of water damage to your property. Water damage problems include leaking pipes, bath tubs and sinks, malfunctioning washing machine & dishwashers, flooded basements due to a back flush of the drains or choked drains and sewers. Usually the water damage property may be covered by the insurance company, but the thing that may be causing the water damage wouldn't be included.
But if there is an unseen problem, such as a frozen pipe that has led to the water damage, the insurer may pay for the repairs to your home or furnishings and even pay for the repair of the pipe. Now when the temperatures have really dropped to -10 C, and you are still staying in the house with the heating and yet the pipe has burst, the insurance company will pay for the water damage and get the pipe fixed. But had the house been unoccupied and without heating, the insurance company may not consent to paying the water damage charges. They feel that the homeowner has been negligent and shouldn't be reimbursed.
If the water has leaked from the backyard pool on to your beautiful garden, lawns and basement, causing water damage, the basement is covered but the lawn and the garden isn't covered. But if you have a garden that is prize winning with a number of exotic plants, then you should talk to your insurance advisor for getting insurance on the basis of water damage.
Water damage caused by sewers, drains and seepage from the ground
Water damage caused by sewers and drains isn't usually covered in the standard policies. Special endorsement need to be made in the insurance policy for water damage arising out of sewer and drain blockages causing water damage to your property.
If water damage to the property is caused through seepage from the ground, then you won't get anything from the insurance policy. This is because, seepage is considered to be a maintenance issue and not a sudden accident that caused the water damage.
Water damage by rainstorms
If there has been a heavy rainstorm and the roof of your house has leaked. This has caused extensive water damage to your home and furnishing. The insurance take on this somewhat complicated. The homeowner wouldn't be compensated for the roof but would be compensated for the water damage caused to the furnishing and the furniture in the house.
Water damage caused by leaking bath tub and floods
One of the really quirky things is that insurance covers for the water damage caused by leaking or overflowing bathtub (even if you forgot or intentionally turned on the faucet). If there is a flood caused due to overflowing river or breach in dam, the water damage to the property isn't covered by the home owner's insurance policy. For flood coverage, separate flood insurance should be purchased.
Both Rachel Yoshida & Barney Ruch are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Rachel Yoshida has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home, Finances and Education. Rachel Yoshida is a writer of many topics, visit some of her sites, like and. Rachel Yoshida's top article generates over 550000 views. to your Favourites.
Barney Ruch has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home, Sewage and Home. Barney Ruch is a house issue disaster writer for and. Barney Ruch's top article generates over 4400 views. to your Favourites.