Re: Insurance Adjuster leaves us in black mold

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Yours is a common situation. Unfortunately, it is not the
responsibility of the insurance adjuster to test for mold or
even inform you that mold may be a problem. This
responsibility falls on the homeowner/tenant.

To file a claim, you need to find a competent mold
investigator to document the cause, the extent of the mold
damage and the scope of work necessary to remove the mold.
Then, you file a claim with your insurer to cover the cost
of cleanup.

Then, you will need two or more bids from mold remediation
contractors to perform the work as outlined by the
inspector. It is always a good idea to call the initial
investigator back after the work has been performed to
ensure everything was done properly.

You may be able to find a mold investigator at IAQA.org
Make sure they are qualified (5 or more years in the
industry), have a clean BBB record, and are insured.

Your challenge will be that the insurer already performed
cleanup on the mold. You will have to document that the
effort was not up to industry standards.

RD

On 11/03/10, Mary Jensen wrote:
> Sears sold two female senior citizens a water and ice
> maker frig 5 yrs ago. My mother now 87 yr old. The cheap
> plastic tube burst as they do. The cheap plastic is known
> to burst. Sears never informed us of the problem or told
> us to get copper pipes.
>
> The hose burst dumping over 1,000 gallons of water within
> 20 hrs. into the basement bedrooms. Farmers insurance
> adjusters did not inform us we now had a black mold
> growing as it took them 4 days to appraise. They cut a
> piece of carpet out of the 2nd flooded bedroom to anylyze.
> Told me they would pay for new carpet and pad. But they
> allowed $3.56 to remove moldy carpet, $3. for new carpet
> pad, $50. on carpeting. The black mold was growing right
> by the door. Never informed me. Could not find people to
> remove black mold carpet. Someone from Farmers called a
> disaster team. Told them I was to go into the mold room to
> remove contents as they had paid the property owner $60.00
> to do this. The same adjuster also paid $80. to launder
> clothes telling me to wash them for the property owner he
> lives out of town). I was already sick by this time. A
> handy man was helping me. He kept insisting moisture was
> behind the wall. Adjuster ignored him. Handy man came back
> with a meter after the adjusters left moisture was behind
> the wall. Everyone in the house got sick. Black mold is
> dangerous ifeel violated.