Florida’s subtropical climate brings hurricanes, a lot of rain, wind storms, and high humidity, all of which often cause mold damage. Since mold damage to your home or property is a major health risk, it should be covered by your homeowner’s insurance.
You need a knowledgeable Fort Lauderdale mold damage lawyer to protect your rights because insurance companies often deny claims based on policy exclusions.
Klotzman Property Damage Law serves Fort Lauderdale and the neighboring areas. We have decades of experience handling mold damage claims and know much about the Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights in Florida.
Do not try to settle a property damage claim with your insurance company on your own. Our experienced mold damage lawyers will fight for you to get the right amount of money for your claim.
Contact our Fort Lauderdale property damage lawyers if mold has damaged your home or place of business. We are always ready to help people file claims for mold damage, and we know how hard it is for residents in Florida to do so after big storms or flooding that cause mold damage.
We will fight to ensure you get the full amount you deserve from the insurance company.
Please contact us at 954-915-7405 for a free consultation and find out how we can help you with your mold damage claim.
What Should I Do If My Home Has a Mold Problem?
How do you file an insurance claim if mold has damaged your home, condo, or place of business? Follow these crucial steps to make sure that your mold insurance claim is accepted.
Document the Mold Damage
Most home insurance companies don’t like to pay claims for mold damage that don’t have enough proof. When you find out about one, you should be ready to back up your claim and show evidence that a covered peril caused the damage.
Take note of all mold damage to your property, and take photos and videos. Document the extent of the mold damage as thoroughly as you can, and make sure to document the source of mold contamination.
Talk to Your Insurance Company
Once you have proof, you should immediately file a claim with your insurance company. While negotiating, write down what’s being said. If you can, record it.
Limit Damage to Your Property
You should take steps to prevent the mold from doing further damage to your property. Make sure you keep a record of everything you do to deal with the mold problem before the insurance adjustor looks at the damage.
Send in All Your Evidence
When the insurance adjuster comes, please give them all the paperwork that backs up your claim. These could be pictures, the results of an investigation, and a list of broken things. The evidence will help you get your point across quickly and win compensation.
Call a Fort Lauderdale Mold Damage Lawyer
If you reach an impasse with your renters, homeowners, or commercial insurer, contact an experienced mold damage lawyer who specializes in representing policyholders.
What Are Some Common Causes of Mold?
The Federal Emergency Management Agency says mold and mildew can start growing within 24 to 48 hours. Once mold starts to grow, it will keep growing until the moisture source is removed.
Mold can grow from several common sources of water damage, such as:
- Ruptured or broken pipes
- Flooding due to storms and hurricanes
- Leaky windows and roofs
- Flooded sewage backups.
Does Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Mold Damage?
Generally, homeowner’s insurance only covers mold damage if it is caused by an event or circumstance that is covered by your policy.
Your policy may cover mold damage caused by the following issues.
- A broken water heater
- Water damage caused by extinguishing a fire
- A burst or frozen pipe
On the other hand, mold damage caused by a lack of upkeep generally isn’t covered by homeowner’s insurance. This includes mold growth due to the following causes.
- Improperly sealed doors or windows
- An unaddressed leaky faucet
- Poor ventilation in a moist room, like a bathroom
Be aware that standard home insurance policies typically don’t cover flood damage or damage from water backup and sump pump failure.
Some insurance companies have a cap on what they will pay for mold damage. It’s critical to read through your policy carefully to understand the extent of your coverage.
How Does Mold Affect Me and My Family?
Mold can hurt you and your family in many ways, including (but not limited to):
Financially
Mold can cause you to lose a lot of money. It can take months to identify a mold problem, by which time the property can become completely contaminated. Even when identified quickly, removing mold and replacing damaged property is often costly.
Mold lowers the resale value of your home. Moldy property usually sells for less than other property. You might have to dig deeper into your wallet to pay for medical care for family members exposed to mold.
Health Issues
The most common health risks from mold exposure are allergy-like symptoms such as red eyes, itchy skin, a stuffy nose, and a runny nose. The symptoms are worse in asthmatic people. Early exposure to mold also makes the risk of asthma much higher.
How Can a Mold Damage Lawyer Help With a Claim?
Too often, insurers give policyholders the run-around by delaying mold damage claims and looking for reasons to provide them with a lowball settlement offer.
The attorneys at Klotzman Property Damage Law can help if your property has been damaged by mold. We will review your insurance policy, determine how much damage was done to your home or other property, and fight for the full amount you deserve.
Here is how our mold damage attorneys can help you.
Investigations
We will thoroughly examine your claim and gather all the evidence necessary to support your case.
Our Fort Lauderdale mold damage lawyers will also hire experts to figure out how much it will cost to fix everything. Some examples of these experts are professional adjusters, engineers, roofers, plumbers, and general contractors.
Negotiations
Our mold damage lawyers in Fort Lauderdale will use every legal option to settle the case as quickly as possible and for the full and fair compensation you deserve are owed. Your attorney will handle negotiations with the insurance company and fight for the best settlement possible.
Litigation
If settlement talks fail, Klotzman Property Damage Law will be ready to take your case to court to fight for the justice you deserve. We will hire any experts and professionals needed to help you get the most money.
Hire the Best Fort Lauderdale Mold Damage Attorneys!
Often, insurance companies will try to pay policyholders as little as possible by using vague language, clauses that are hard to find, and other tactics. They will do their best to deny your claim or undervalue your losses.
Our skilled mold damage attorneys in Fort Lauderdale will review your insurance policy, determine how much damage was done to your home or other property, and fight for the full amount you deserve.
This is important because your insurance company may have to pay for the full cost of mold removal services if the mold problem was caused by a covered event.
At Klotzman Property Damage Law, we understand how insurance companies work. Combining this knowledge and experience with our thorough understanding of property damage laws allows us to get policyholders the compensation they need to fix the mold damage in their homes and other properties.
Call us at 954-915-7405 today to schedule a free, confidential, and no-risk consultation.
