I pulled back the paneling in my van to fix a wire and found a nightmare: black mold eating the wool insulation and rotting the plywood. I had been living in the Pacific Northwest for winter, and the condensation had been accumulating silently. I filed a claim for the remediation (a $6,000 gut job). The response? “Denied. Gradual damage and mold are excluded.”
Key Takeaways
- Mold is the “Silent Killer” of Claims: Almost every standard policy explicitly excludes mold, fungus, and wet rot.
- “Sudden vs. Gradual”: Insurance covers sudden events (a pipe bursting today). It does not cover gradual events (a pipe dripping for 6 months).
- Condensation is “Maintenance”: Insurers view condensation as a result of improper ventilation (your fault), not an accident.
- The “Ensuring Loss” Clause: Sometimes, if the mold was caused by a covered peril (e.g., a tree branch smashed the roof, rain got in, mold grew immediately), you can get coverage.
The “Why” (The Trap)
The trap is the “Maintenance and Wear & Tear” Exclusion.
RVs—especially DIY vans—are prone to moisture. We breathe, cook, and shower in a metal box. If you don’t ventilate perfectly, moisture gets behind the walls. Insurers argue that preventing this is your job as the owner. They do not pay for your failure to open a window or run a dehumidifier.
Furthermore, standard RV policies have a specific “Fungus/Mold” exclusion clause that caps coverage at $0 or a very low amount (like $500) even if it is covered.
The Investigation (My Analysis of 3 Carriers)
I dug into the policy wording of three major insurers regarding mold.
Foremost
- The Wording: They are one of the few that offers an optional “Mold and Spores” endorsement on certain policies.
- The Limit: Even with the endorsement, the limit is often capped at roughly $2,500. This might pay for cleaning, but not for ripping out and rebuilding a wall.
National General
- The Wording: Strict exclusion for “continuous or repeated seepage or leakage.”
- The Reality: If you can prove a specific storm damaged the roof last week and the mold is new, you have a chance. If the wood is rotted (implying months of water), they deny it instantly.
Progressive
- The Wording: Standard exclusion.
- My Experience: I’ve seen them deny claims where a window seal failed. They covered the window repair (maybe), but denied all the water damage to the interior wall because the seal failure was “wear and tear.”
[IMAGE: Close up photo of black mold spores on Havelock wool insulation inside a van wall]
Comparison Table
| Feature | Foremost | Progressive | National General |
| Mold Exclusion | Standard (Buy-back available) | Strict | Strict |
| Gradual Damage | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded |
| Roof Leak Damage | Covered if “Sudden” | Covered if “Sudden” | Covered if “Sudden” |
| Condensation Damage | Denied | Denied | Denied |
Step-by-Step Action Plan
- Vapor Barriers are Insurance: If you are building, build it right. Use a proper vapor barrier. Insurance won’t fix bad design.
- Report Leaks Immediately: If you see water stain, report it that day. If you wait 2 weeks and mold grows, you jeopardize the claim. You need to establish the “Date of Loss” as a sudden event.
- Dry It Out: If you have a leak, you have a duty to “Mitigate Damages.” Rent industrial fans and dehumidifiers immediately. Keep the receipts. Insurance might pay for the drying equipment to prevent mold, even if they won’t pay for the mold itself later.
- Read the Endorsements: Ask your agent if there is a “fungus/wet rot” rider available. It costs pennies and might give you $2,500 of coverage instead of $0.
FAQ
If a pipe bursts, is the resulting mold covered?
Maybe. If the pipe burst on Monday, and you filed the claim on Tuesday, the water damage is covered. If you didn’t notice the burst pipe for 3 months and now there is mold, the claim is often denied as “Neglect.”
Does “Full-Timer” liability cover mold health issues?
Generally, no. Liability covers other people getting hurt. If you get sick from mold in your own van, that is a health insurance issue, not an auto insurance issue.
What is the best defense?
Ventilation. MaxxAir fans, diesel heaters (dry heat), and monitoring humidity levels. Prevention is the only real insurance against mold.