Melbourne Mold Damage Claims Adjuster

Prolonged exposure to mold presents significant health risks that should not be underestimated. While some people are less sensitive to the presence of mold than others, a substantial portion of the population suffers from mold allergies that could trigger asthma, upper respiratory problems, skin irritation, and other issues.

Even if you’re not experiencing any symptoms yet, continuing to stay in a mold-affected building is not a good idea. Addressing mold issues promptly is essential to safeguarding the health and well-being of anyone who spends time on the property.

Unfortunately, many property owners struggle to fix mold problems because their insurance carriers may refuse to pay. Although insurance policies usually cover mold damage, convincing the insurance company’s adjuster that your mold damage originated with a covered incident is often an uphill battle.

The damage may have been caused by a leaking roof, a burst pipe, or a flood, but your insurance company adjuster might believe that you negligently allowed the area to get wet and then failed to dry it. These situations can be frustrating, but there is a potential solution.

Contact a Melbourne Mold Contamination Claims Adjuster for Help

Unsurprisingly, the insurance company’s adjuster will look for reasons to deny your claim—for instance, they might say there’s no proof your leaking pipe caused that moldy spot. After all, they work for the insurance company, and their job is to reduce costs.

But you don’t have to rely on the insurance company’s adjuster—you can hire a public mold damage claims adjuster. This person works for you, not the insurance carrier, and will help you document precisely how your damage happened.

What Does a Mold Damage Claims Adjuster Do?

We can assist you with the claims process from beginning to end. Here are some of the ways we can help:

• We offer a free inspection of your damage. Our claims adjusters are very thorough. While the insurance company adjuster might put off their visit or only show up and take a brief look, our adjusters will examine the damaged area and the rest of the property. We want to ensure no damage is overlooked, and we take pictures of all the damage we find.
• After the inspection, we’ll also review your insurance policy for free. Confusion about what a policy does and doesn’t cover is common—policies are lengthy and often obfuscated by legalese. Your mold damage claims adjuster can answer questions and advise you about what evidence you’ll need to have your claim approved.
• We can also review your claim before you submit it and help you document your damage. This includes providing pictures and guidance on how to show that a specific, covered incident caused the mold.
• Negotiating with the insurance company adjuster can also be time-consuming and stressful, so your public claims adjuster can assist you with that process. We’ll use our expertise to negotiate a settlement that covers all your damages so you can focus on what matters to you.

Why Are Mold Damage Claims So Difficult?

This is a great question. Mold is a common problem—especially in humid areas like Florida—but unfortunately, insurance claims denials for mold claims are also common. What’s the problem?

As we discussed earlier, insurance company adjusters work to save the company money. They want to know how the damage listed in your claim happened so they can look for reasons why they shouldn’t cover the claim. Here are some examples:

• “When did you notice the mold?” This seems like an innocent question, but the insurance company rep wants to know if you wasted time allowing the mold to flourish before attempting to address it.
• “Why didn’t you fix the problem sooner?” Again, the insurance adjuster is looking for a way to say that your negligence really caused the problem. Sometimes, this results in frustrating situations where the property owner is seeking estimates or trying to get the insurance adjuster to survey the damage, but the insurance company blames them for failing to act quickly enough.
• “Was the damage really from a covered incident?” The covered incident could be a flood, hurricane damage, leaking roof burst pipe, etc. An insurance company adjuster may look at pictures of the mold damage and suggest another problem—that conveniently isn’t covered—could have caused the mold instead.
• “Why didn’t you check for water damage right after the covered event?” It’s definitely helpful to familiarize yourself with signs of mold and water damage and check for them after any event where you might have suffered water damage (floods, weather events, plumbing issues). But not all damage is noticeable right away, and some covered issues aren’t either—for instance, you might not be aware of a slow leak for some time. Unfortunately, the insurance company may still blame you for being negligent in caring for your home.

These situations can be very upsetting to a property owner who did everything right but still received a claim denial. Fortunately, a mold contamination claims adjuster can help you prove what happened in many of these cases.

Our adjusters have specific strategies in place to properly assess your damage and demonstrate how it occurred. We’ll also review the language in your policy to determine exactly what is necessary to prove you weren’t negligent and a covered incident caused the mold.

Then, we’ll work hard to document your losses, drawing clear lines from the event to the damage.

Can a Public Adjuster Help You Get a Larger Settlement?

It depends on the particulars of your case, but if the insurance company is undervaluing or unfairly denying your claim, there is a good chance a public adjuster can get you a more equitable settlement.

Data on policyholders who suffered hurricane damage showed that those who hired public adjusters received settlements that were 747 percent higher than settlements for those who didn’t hire a public adjuster. Policyholders with non-catastrophic damage received settlements of about 584 percent more if they had a public adjuster’s assistance.

How Much Does a Public Adjuster Cost?

Public adjusters work on a contingency basis—we don’t get paid until we settle your claim, and then we take an agreed-upon percentage.

Your initial damage inspection and policy review are free, and there is no obligation to retain our services. But if you do, you won’t owe us anything until you get paid by the insurance company.

What Causes Mold Damage?

Mold damage typically begins with moisture and warm temperatures. Any time you have an accumulation of water or moisture inside your home or office building, there is a potential for mold to move in, especially on porous surfaces like furniture, carpet, wood, or some types of wall materials. Here are some common situations that lead to mold contamination:

• Roof damage. Roofs can leak for many reasons, including wind or hail damage, and a leak in an attic or infrequently used area of the building might not be noticed immediately. If you spot a leak, put a bucket underneath to catch the water and try to dry out the floor, then call a claims adjuster immediately.
• Other leaks. These can come from plumbing, windows, or appliances like dishwashers or washing machines. Keep an eye out for unusual moisture or puddles under appliances or underneath sinks.
• Weather damage from floods, hurricanes, thunderstorms, etc. After one of these events, we recommend thoroughly checking your whole house for leaks or pooled water.
• Fire suppression. Surprisingly, fires or a triggered fire alarm system can cause mold, too—if they trigger a sprinkler system that soaks the whole room. If the fire department deems it safe to return to your building, try to dry it out and remove any pooled water. However, some items, like carpeting, can’t be dried quickly and may develop mold despite your best efforts.
• Structural shifts. If the building shifts for any reason, leaks can occur. If you have uneven flooring or windows and doors that don’t always close correctly, it’s possible your building may be sinking, and you could suffer water damage. Ironically, water damage can also cause these structural shifts or worsen them.

How Can You Get Help From a Mold Damage Claims Adjuster in Melbourne?

Please contact Pinnacle Claim Services for a free damage inspection and policy review today. We’ll carefully assess your damage and determine what kind of work you need to eradicate the mold problem entirely and make your home safe to live in again.

At the same time, we’ll take photos and videos to document your claim and help you describe your damage in language the insurance company adjuster will find hard to ignore. Additionally, we can complete the negotiation process with the insurance company adjuster while you deal with other matters.

Pinnacle Claim Services’ public adjusters are licensed, bonded, and highly educated in the fields of damage assessment and current insurance policy matters. We understand what’s necessary to successfully file a claim, and we’ll know if the insurance company is undervaluing your damage or recommending solutions that won’t fully address the problem.

Because we work for you, not the insurance company, we will always be on your side and fight for your right to fair compensation.

Contact us for a free evaluation at (321) 384-9379