Does home insurance cover mould damage?

No, home insurance doesn’t usually cover mould. Read on to learn why.

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Peta Taylor

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Key takeaways

  • Most home insurance policies don't cover mould as it's considered to be preventable.
  • You may have grounds to claim is mould comes about as a direct result of an insured event, like a flood.
  • If your mould damage isn't the result of something like this, your insurer will deny the claim.

Home insurance and mould damage

Home insurance does not cover mould damage. This is because mould is seen as preventable or at the very least, manageable. Home insurance is designed for disasters that can't have been foreseen or reasonably managed, like a flood, a bushfire or a falling tree during a bad storm.

When does home insurance cover mould?

The only time your home insurance will cover mould damage is when it's the result of something else that is claimable. For example, if your house becomes flooded and that flooding causes mould — then you could be covered. Any claims for mould that aren't the result of something else more serious will likely be declined.

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Our expert says

"It's essential to understand what your home insurance policy actually covers so you're not counting on it for something it doesn't cover. While a bit boring, reading your product disclosure statement is the best way to understand what you're covered for. Usually, if it's a preventable issue, you're probably not covered."

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Publisher of Insurance

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Written by

Publisher of Insurance

Peta Taylor is a publisher at Finder, working across all of insurance. She's been analysing product disclosure statements and publishing articles for over 2 years. Peta is passionate about demystifying complex insurance products to help users make well educated decisions with confidence. Peta is part of Finder's insurance awards team and works alongside editorial and insights experts to bring users the best insurance products every year. See full bio

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