Will Home Insurance Cover Insulation and Mold Damage from a Leaking Roof?

​A small leak is all it takes. Within a short amount of time, the insulation in a roof can develop mold. The interior of the roof may have structural deficiencies as a result. When a situation like this occurs, it becomes essential to find a solution. Home insurance may not cover this type of damage. It applies only in some situations. When could home insurance help you?​

When Does Home Insurance Cover It?
Mold damage occurs when surfaces remain wet for some time. In the summer months, the high heat can make this happen faster. Home insurance typically does not cover damage related to normal wear and tear. If a leak develops on your roof, it is unlikely to be the insurer’s responsibility to fix it. That is part of maintaining the home.

However, if the leak is the result of a covered incident, then the insurer may help handle the repair. In this case, the insurer would pay for the mold cleanup and insulation replacement. The question is, what caused the leak to occur?

Many factors can play a role here. Roof leaks may occur without any incident occurring. In other cases, they happen as a result of a covered claim. Here are some examples.

• The roof leak developed when a storm blew shingles from the roof, exposing materials.
• The leak happened after hail hit the roof creating areas of damage. One area allowed water to enter into it.
• A fire developed in the home, damaging the roof. This created the roof leak.

Other claims covered by home insurance include windstorm damage, excessive weight from snow or ice, and falling objects. Vandalism may also play a role as well. If you recently had the roof replaced, and the mold was not discovered, it may still be possible to file a claim for the loss.

What to Do to Find Out
If you have a roof leak, contact your home insurance team. They can provide an insurance adjuster or a company to inspect the roof. This individual will look at the damage to determine what happened. If the incident has coverage under your policy, the insurance company will go to work for you to get it repaired.

As soon as you spot roof damage, get repairs underway. Because damage can hide, don’t assume that your home insurance won’t help you. Contact your agent and find out what steps you can take to get coverage for the mold damage you have.

Blog post by: ITC

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