[kstewskis]

Like lead paint in the seventies and asbestos in the eighties, mold is the cash crop of this decade.

Curious to know if homeowner's premiums around the country have gone significantly up w/in the last year. Talking to my Mom in California, hers nearly tripled, and she's been claimfree. She was told that her company has been getting a lot of claims for mold damage.

Or, like you said slimer, could all be just a racket.

[Restorer]

Curious to know if homeowner's premiums around the country have gone significantly up w/in the last year. Talking to my Mom in California, hers nearly tripled, and she's been claimfree. She was told that her company has been getting a lot of claims for mold damage.

Last year, the insurance industry as a whole spent 1.2 billion on mold claims. State Farm alone lost $4 billion in the same period.

Increasing rates and losses by insurers have little to do with mold. Mostly it's because they've lost their shirts in the stock market, like everybody else.

But mold makes a great excuse to raise rates and demand exclusions from the state insurance departments.

BTW, I don't remember seeing premium rates going down when they were making a killing in the market during the 90s.

[Eagle Eye]

There was a huge sttlement in Texas that scared the bejesus out of the insurance industry. Artificial stucco (EIFIS) is looked at very very carefully by insurers. Many are writing mold exclusions.

The hazards are real, both to humans and to insurance companies.