Renters Insurance and Mold Damage: Are You Protected?

A standard renters insurance policy may cover mold damage that can be traced to a sudden peril, like a burst pipe or windstorm. However, renters insurance doesn’t cover damage from mold that grows over time due to poor maintenance, nor does it cover mold damage caused by a flood.

Keep reading to learn more about when mold is covered by renters insurance and what options exist if you are interested in extra mold coverage for renters.

On This Page

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  When Does Renters Insurance Cover Mold Damage?

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  When Doesn’t Renters Insurance Cover Mold?

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  Does Renters Insurance Cover Mold Inspections?

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  What Steps Should I Take if I Discover Mold in My Rental Unit?

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  How To Prevent Mold From Spreading as a Renter

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  How To File a Renters Insurance Claim for Mold Damage

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  Additional Renters Insurance Options for Mold

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  FAQs

When Does Renters Insurance Cover Mold Damage?

Most likely, your renters insurance company will only cover mold damage that is directly caused by an unexpected peril named in your policy.^[1] For example, your insurer may cover mold that grows due to sudden water damage from a burst pipe, rainwater that gets into your home after a tree falls through your roof or a hose used by a firefighter to put out a house fire.

In these cases, renters insurance may cover repairs or replacements for damaged items, medical bills and/or legal fees if a guest gets sick because of the mold and additional living expenses, such as laundromat costs and hotel stays, if your house or apartment is temporarily uninhabitable because of the mold. However, you should keep in mind that damage to the structure of your home is covered by your landlord’s insurance rather than your insurance.

Does Renters Insurance Cover Black Mold?

Insurance coverage for mold generally depends on the source of the mold rather than the type of mold, which means that your renters insurance policy may cover black mold damage if the mold originates with a named peril expressly covered by your policy, just like it would cover such damage from any other type of mold.

When Doesn’t Renters Insurance Cover Mold?

Most instances of mold damage are not covered by renters insurance, because insurance is designed to cover sudden losses rather than gradual damage. For example, your renters insurance carrier likely won’t cover mold that builds up over time in your air conditioner or bathroom.^[1]

Likewise, you shouldn’t expect coverage for losses that can be attributed to poor maintenance on your part, such as mold that grows in your attic due to a roof leak that you knew about but neglected to fix. In addition, standard renters insurance policies typically exclude coverage for flooding, so you probably won’t be covered if floodwaters create an environment that allows mold to flourish inside of your home.^[1]

You should note that some renters insurance companies apply sublimits to claims involving mold damage.^[2] As a result, even if mold damage to your belongings is caused by a covered peril, it’s possible that your insurer won’t pay up to your personal property coverage limit, potentially leaving you on the hook for some of the costs, depending on the extent of the damage.

Does Renters Insurance Cover Mold Inspections?

Your renters insurance provider likely won’t pay for a mold inspection, since mold inspections are usually conducted to detect signs of mold early rather than to respond to existing mold damage. That said, your landlord may agree to cover the costs of a mold inspection, especially since they will be responsible for any damage mold causes to the structure of the rental unit.

What Steps Should I Take if I Discover Mold in My Rental Unit?

If you discover mold in your rental unit, you need to address the issue quickly, as mold gradually destroys whatever it grows on. It’s important to both get rid of the mold colony and fix the leak or other issue that contributed to an excess amount of water appearing in the area, because mold needs moisture to grow.^[3]

You may be able to scrub mold off of hard surfaces using water and detergent, after which you should be sure to thoroughly dry the surface. Conversely, it may be impossible to fully clean absorbent or porous materials — like carpets or ceiling tiles — that have become moldy by hand, so you may simply need to throw away such items.^[3]

If the moldy area takes up more than 10 square feet, you may want to consider hiring a professional mold remediation service.^[3]

In this scenario, you should get in touch with your landlord, as they may pay for the mold removal and cleanup service if the mold affects the structure of your home or if they are liable for enabling the mold to grow.

How To Prevent Mold From Spreading as a Renter

Once you have noticed mold in your home, the best ways to prevent it from spreading are cleaning up all visible mold and drying the affected areas, along with checking for excess moisture in other parts of your home that could potentially foster further mold growth. You should also take steps to lower the humidity in your home and avoid running your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system if you think it may be contaminated with mold.^[3]

How To File a Renters Insurance Claim for Mold Damage

Below are the steps you need to take to file a renters insurance claim if you have experienced mold damage that is covered by your insurance policy:

1. Call the police if the damage is related to a crime (e.g. rainwater getting into your home and causing mold to grow after an intruder or vandal breaks down your door while you are on vacation).
2. Let your landlord know about the damage, especially if it impacts the structure of your rental unit.
3. Initiate the claims process with your renters insurance company via phone, mobile app or online portal.
4. Collect evidence that is relevant to your claim, such as photos or videos of the damaged items.
5. Submit relevant evidence to your insurance provider and fill out paperwork as necessary.
6. Use your insurance payout to repair or replace the damaged items or, if necessary, challenge the insurance settlement by submitting an appeal to your insurer or contacting an attorney or your state’s insurance department.
7. Update your home inventory to reflect the value of your new items.

Additional Renters Insurance Options for Mold

You may be able to purchase additional renters insurance coverage types to cover mold damage from a wider array of perils. For example, a water backup endorsement may cover mold that grows in your home due to a sewer or septic tank overflow. However, you should note that flood insurance policies from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) do not cover mold damage triggered by flooding.^[4]