'Almost unheard of': mould epidemic emerges in flood-hit areas

A surge in mould outbreaks caused by conducive weather conditions in south-east Queensland is causing chaos for homeowners and could complicate insurance claims in the flood-hit area.

Australian Apartment Advocacy (AAA) says it is receiving hundreds of calls for assistance but warns insurance will only cover those affected if the problem is caused by flood or storm water.

“The reports we are getting is that the incidence of mould in southern Queensland is almost unheard of due to the current conditions of humidity and moisture,” AAA Director Samantha Reece said.

“The bad news is that mould itself is not covered by insurance generally unless it has been caused by an insurable event such as storm damage or flooding.

“We have had hundreds of apartment owners contact us and our message is the same; check your insurance policy but it is highly unlikely you are covered for mould unless you have suffered or experienced an insurable event such as structural damage caused by flooding.”

Repair and remediation services used by insurers, such as Steamatic, have seen an uptick in demand, and they expect it to continue.

“There has been a moderate uplift, but we are expecting this to increase over coming months due to lack of immediate drying due to volumes of claims and available resources,” Steamatic CEO Oliver Threlfall tells insuranceNEWS.com.au.

Suncorp Head of Flood Response and Recovery Cath Stewart says mould presents a key challenge following flooding, especially in areas such as south-east Queensland.

“Mould is a key challenge following any flood, and this is the case in south-east Queensland, especially given the ongoing wet weather.

“One of the first things we look to do following a flood is to ventilate damaged homes as much as possible and to remove items like wet carpet to help them dry out. This is to reduce the impact of mould later in the repair.”

Ms Stewart reaffirmed the insurer’s policy regarding mould damage.

“Mould can be caused by a range of environmental factors, and if it is related to an insurable event with a claim, such as the recent flooding, it is included in Suncorp’s standard home insurance policies,” she said.

RACQ Insurance says its policies also only cover mould in the event of an insurable event such as storms and flooding.

“Mould is not covered by RACQ insurance policies; however, we will cover mould damage to a home or its contents that happens within 21 days of the first loss or damage caused by the insured events,” it said.

AAA urges homeowners not to ignore any signs of mould and says these problems won’t disappear without action.

“Mould if untreated can cause health problems such as allergic reactions and asthma difficulties and it can be treated in most instances with products such as dehumidifiers that are not toxic and that can be purchased from any hardware store,” she said.

RACQ Insurance also prompted homeowners to take early action against mould growth.

“If mould issues are picked up early the cost, on a per claim level, isn’t likely to be significant, however if the mould is left to grow for an extended period of time, then this can increase the cost, both in terms of cleaning and replacing contents.

“If there is a significant increase in the number of properties requiring additional remediation due to mould, then this has the potential to place additional strain on the insurance sector and its supply chain,” it said.