Insurance claim Insurer Within 48 hours of water damage, biological activity is known to occur. It is therefor important that drying and or environmental controls are undertaken quickly, not least to prevent secondary damage. This is where previously unaffected areas and materials start to be affected by water evaporation and bio amplification. The public awareness of mould and health risks has escalated following COVID lock down and the public review regarding deaths of young people where the coroner recorded mould as the main cause. The public concern has been intensified by GOOGLE and the mushrooming industry of mould specialists including people who assess mould health risks. Of course, insurers shouldn’t take notice of unqualified people, but some insurers use established forensic investigation companies that are equally unqualified. Unqualified opinion or dubious sampling and analysis often used by nominated contractors to certify sanitation and clearance in line with industry standard BS12999. (and its appendix PAS 64) there is emerging concern of a potential long tail claim.
Medical science has progressed immensely in very recent years and genetic and toxicology analysis can prove building related illness. A clearance certificate issued by many insurers nominated experts today, may be challenged in the future not least when they use systems and protocols failing to meet even minimal standards of competence today. Should policyholders develop chronic building related health effects which can or could be attributable to the claim there may be a liability in a civil court? With forensic investigation now detailing DNA and medical science now identifying genetics, chemical toxicology from blood and urine their may be limited defence where evidence shows there wasn’t compliance to even the insurers supported BS12999 which includes PAS 64 and the requirement for verification of sanitation. Professional remediation is about focus, speed and controls with bio amplification often ignored as a claim component. The reality is bio amplification is poorly understood and many believe a chemical spray can kill everything on contact. This is simply not true and a review of evidence and even manufacturers data confirms this.
Building Forensics can provide training and safeguards for insurers.
Loss adjuster The loss adjuster is of course the nominated representative of insurers and will usually try to settle the claim fairly. Many have chartered status and have many years of working in the field. Unfortunately, their expertise is usually not in toxicology or mycology and most will rely on their contractors to follow industry standards and provide services suitable for the compliance of British Standards BS12999. and its appendix PAS 64. Unfortunately, most contractors rely on manufacturers sales literature, and I have yet to see any verifiable compliance evidence from any contractor. The emerging self-proclaimed experts without any relevant qualifications, invariably produce a pretty document which at first glance is technical but invariably worthless. Contractors typically use special spray that kills everything, and the magic fog, all promoted by manufacturers which are unlikely to do anything other than add cost. Building Forensics can provide loss adjusters with both contractor assessments and training.
Policyholder Following a water escape or flooding an insurance company may provide you with nominated contractors or funding to remediate your property. There are two significant factors that must be recognised.
The World Health organisation (WHO) have warned 1 in 5 people are genetically vulnerable to the bio contamination from water damage. Therefor it’s important your home is remediated properly if your to avoid possible chronic health effects. When you sell your property solicitors will ask if you have or had any issues such as bad neighbours or flooding which might affect the value or sales potential of the property. Without verified drying and sanitation certification documents, your property and value may be devalued. You are often in a very difficult situation and must rely on the words of people you trust and might reasonably expect to be qualified. It may be difficult to believe, but usually a contractor will have no training or certification in bio contamination, decontamination and will usually put up a 2- or three-day training and certification program on water damage to prove competence. This certification could result in a scope of works and claim management that might affect your property value and health later .
If your home is left contaminated after a water escape or damage drying program , you may find acute symptoms like coughs and headache within a week however, your health may deteriorate due to chronic exposure over a period of 4-6 months as your immune system is compromised.
You might think it quite reasonable to ask your loss adjuster and contractor to confirm they will fulfil the remediation complying to industry and British Standard BS12999 (PAS64). This will or should result in your being provided with three verified and different certifications that your home is dry, the air and surfaces are sanitised and are at low risk.
You should perhaps ask the loss adjuster who is organising the claim on behalf of your insurer to ensure this is complied with before the contractor gets paid. Be aware that contractors will invariably attempt to prove competence by quoting IICRC S500 and S520, but both very good standards, usually require a qualified IEP (like Building Forensics) to scope and or independently verify their works.
Some contractors boast a BDMA certificate which is a three-day training in all subjects and is not a basis for expertise. The BDMA senior technician is a good qualification but again this has no relevance in toxicology or mycology and the BDMA have recently stated they do not provide training in mould. The most alarming qualification often seen is the CITY and Guilds ‘’approved’’ two-day course in everything which provides a certificate but is almost worthless and you should be extremely wary of this certification. As a last resort you can sample surfaces or air with DIY kits supplied by www.mouldlab.co.uk and perhaps alleviate any fears?
Loss assessor Sometimes you might feel an insurance company, or their agent loss adjuster or contractor, hasn’t accepted the claim to its full extent or they’re unwilling to comply with the recognised standards.
If this is the case, you might consider a loss assessor. They may charge a percentage of the claim if they win.
The loss assessor will look for detailed evidence of loss or damage and require confirmation items or substrates can be restored to a safe pre loss condition. The bio contamination and health risks are usually (but not always) invisible, and Building Forensics can assist in sampling and environmental surveys to support or reject your claim or challenge of scope of work and or contractor actions and results. Typically Building Forensics will gather evidence of the property environmental condition in terms of contamination on surfaces and air. If that the property is still contaminated Building Forensics can provide detailed reports which can be used by the claim team and or medical professionals.
Contractor When a contractor first visits a water damage claim they will record and write a scope of works regarding primary damage. This is known to escalate over 48 hours if engineering controls are not installed and will likely result in secondary damage. This is where uncontrolled water evaporation migrates to previously unaffected areas such as upper floors and even the loft, where it may create ideal conditions for mould and bacteria amplification.
The actual remediation and even environmental controls may take days or weeks to install after the initial incident so secondary damage must be assumed to have occurred. As a contractor you may follow IICRC S500 and IICRC S520 and in both editions you will note there is a requirement to engage a qualified IEP (Indoor Environmental Professional) As Hon fellow and the founding chairman of the BDMA and responsible for writing the original BDMA mission statement and examinations 15 years ago, I was alarmed to see an email from the BDMA head office stating they do not provide specific training on mould. As a qualified IEP with 30 years’ experience, we can support you if required