Hoarding could put your health at risk due to the dangerous and unsanitary conditions created by clutter. What’s worse, hoarding can also make your homeowners insurance claims denied. That’s because most hazards that arise due to hoarding occur because of negligence and poor home maintenance. In this article, you will learn how hoarding affects insurance claims.
Yet, you can probably obtain homeowner’s insurance without difficulty. To approve or deny your request, the insurance representative conducts a “drive-by” inspection of your home. And, unless you have piles of belongings in the yard, you will be granted the policy.
However, you may be left without coverage when you want to renew your policy or if an insurance agent performs a home inspection for any reason.
How Hoarding Affects Insurance Claims
Hoarding can have severe implications for your home insurance. When a home is in poor condition due to hoarding, it not only poses numerous safety hazards but also significantly complicates the insurance process. Insurance companies may either decide not to renew your policy or provide a warning, giving you a limited time to address the issues or risk losing coverage altogether.
To understand how hoarding affects insurance claims, we need to first discuss how hoarding endagers you.
Common Hazards Associated with Hoarding
- Fire Hazards: Items such as paper, plastic, and other flammable materials can easily ignite, especially when piled around heating sources like vents, stoves, or electrical outlets. Kitchens are particularly high-risk areas due to the potential buildup of grease, food debris, and trash. Also, in the event of a fire, clutter can obstruct exits, making it difficult to escape and hindering firefighters’ access to the home.
- Water Damage: Hoarders often neglect routine roof and plumbing maintenance due to the overwhelming clutter, leading to undetected leaks and severe water damage. When water damage does occur, the excessive contents can worsen the hoarding situation, making it difficult to distinguish between new and pre-existing damage.
- Mold Growth: Persistent water leaks and the presence of excessive trash create perfect conditions for mold and bacteria to thrive. Since mold damage is typically considered a maintenance issue, it is often not covered by insurance policy.
- Pest Infestations: Insects and rodents are attracted to unchecked trash and clutter, leading to infestations. These pests can cause significant structural damage to walls, wiring, and foundations, resulting in dangerous living conditions.
- Trip Hazards: Piles of belongings create trip hazards, increasing the risk of injury for the residents and visitors.
Impact on Insurance Claims
When filing an insurance claim, hoarding can severely impact the outcome. Here are some ways it can affect the claims process:
- Claim Denial: Insurance adjusters might determine that the damage was not accidental but rather a result of neglect due to hoarding. If the loss could have been prevented through proper maintenance, the claim may be denied. Excessive clutter can also make it difficult for adjusters to move around the home and accurately assess the damage, leading to a potential claim denial.
- Policy Non-Renewal: If an adjuster finds extensive safety hazards during an inspection, they may recommend not renewing your policy. This decision is often based on the increased risk that the hoarded home poses.
- Mandatory Repairs: Your insurance company may issue a warning, giving you a specific timeframe to rectify the safety hazards and maintenance issues. Failure to comply could result in losing your coverage.
Preventive Measures and Recommendations
To avoid complications with your home insurance due to hoarding, consider the following preventive measures:
- Regular Maintenance: Conduct routine checks and maintenance on your home’s roof, plumbing, and electrical systems to prevent hoarding issues from escalating.
- Declutter: Regularly clear out excess belongings to reduce fire hazards, improve ventilation, and make maintenance tasks easier.
- Professional Help: If hoarding is a significant issue, seek professional help from organizers or mental health professionals who specialize in hoarding disorder.
- Safety Inspections: Periodically have your home inspected by professionals to identify and address potential safety hazards.
- Proper Storage: Use appropriate storage solutions to keep items organized and ensure that exits and pathways remain clear.
- By taking these proactive steps, you can mitigate the risks associated with hoarding, maintain a safer living environment, and ensure that your home insurance coverage remains intact and effective.
Get Professional Hoarding Cleanup Services
Instead of waiting for your insurance company to assess your home or for a loss to occur, start dealing with the problem immediately. With professional hoarding cleanup services, you can declutter your home and eliminate dangerous living conditions.
This is where PuroClean comes in. Our certified technicians can sanitize and deodorize your home to bring it to a safe and insurable condition. Contact your local PuroClean office for more information.
