Mediation

More claims & insurance terms

• Insurance claim

  A formal request to an insurer for payment after damage to covered property.

• Law and ordinance

  Coverage for the added cost of rebuilding to current code after a loss (sometimes called ordinance or law coverage). Without the endorsement, code upgrades may not be paid.

• Mitigation

  Reasonable steps taken after a loss to prevent further damage, such as tarping a roof or boarding a window. Most policies cover emergency mitigation, and it must be documented to be reimbursed.

• Mold assessment

  An inspection that identifies mold, the moisture feeding it, and the affected area, often with air or surface samples sent to a lab. It is normally done by a party separate from the removal crew, and mold coverage is limited or excluded on many policies, so check the carrier before promising payment.

• Mold damage

  Loss caused by mold growth after a water intrusion that was not dried promptly. Most policies treat mold as a limited or excluded peril, so the carrier decides what is paid, and the claim is stronger when the drying records show the structure was handled properly.

• Named peril

  A specific cause of loss listed in the policy, such as fire, wind, hail, or theft. A named-peril policy pays only for the perils it lists, while an open-peril policy covers everything except what it excludes, so knowing which form the insured has changes what you can claim.

Common questions