Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Asbestos?
Despite the fact that asbestos exposure can pose a serious health risk, most homeowners insurance policies do not cover asbestos removal. Pollution is generally excluded from homeowners insurance policies, so you will not be reimbursed for cleaning up pollutants, including asbestos, in your home. The only exception is if the asbestos was exposed due to a covered peril, such as wind damage. Even so, you are not guaranteed coverage; it varies by policy.
Why isn't asbestos inspection and removal covered by insurance?
Because almost all home insurance policies exclude pollution, asbestos is usually not covered under homeowners insurance, even if you have open-perils HO-3 coverage. This includes not only fuel and chemical spills, but also asbestos.
Another reason asbestos detection and removal are not covered by homeowners insurance is that it would be prohibitively expensive for both insurance companies and homeowners. Covering asbestos removal would almost certainly necessitate a significant increase in homeowners insurance rates.
Most homes built before the 1980s contain asbestos. Cleaning it up is very expensive because it necessitates a great deal of specialized equipment and training. However, asbestos is only dangerous if inhaled, so if the asbestos in your home is safely sealed away inside your walls, it is unlikely to pose a health risk.
When homeowners insurance might cover asbestos removal
In one case, your homeowners insurance policy may cover the costs of removing asbestos from your home. If your home sustains damage as a result of a covered peril, your dwelling policy may cover the entire cost of repair, including the cost of safely removing and cleaning up the asbestos. The cost would be included in your overall damage claim.
- Assume someone broke into your home and vandalized the walls, exposing asbestos-filled insulation in the process. In this case, your homeowners insurance policy may cover some or all of the costs of repairing the damage, including the removal of asbestos insulation and any particles or dust released during the process. This is not true for all homeowners insurance policies, so check yours to see what is and is not covered.
What is asbestos? When is it dangerous?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was once widely used as a building material in homes due to its high temperature and fire resistance. As a result, it was mostly used in home insulation, ceiling tiles, and flooring materials. It was discovered in the 1970s and 1980s that inhaling asbestos dust over a long period of time could cause cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
Asbestos was widely used in many American homes until its carcinogenic properties were discovered. If your house was built before the 1980s, it is very likely that it contains asbestos in some form. Fortunately, asbestos is usually only dangerous if you breathe in asbestos fibers that are released when the material is damaged or decayed. In most cases, inhaling the dust for an extended period of time — months or years — is required to experience negative effects. You are unlikely to become ill if the asbestos in your home is sealed away, such as in the insulation inside your walls.
Even if asbestos comes into direct contact with your living space, such as in ceiling tiles, you may not need to remove it right away. Because the asbestos particles are trapped within the tiles in this case, they will not harm you unless the tile is damaged. However, without proper precautions, you should avoid any activity that would release the particles, such as cutting or drilling into the material. This is especially important when remodeling your home or if the material is ever damaged. If you are concerned about possible contamination, hire a professional to inspect your home.
Where could I have asbestos in my home?
Until the health risks of asbestos were discovered, its insulating properties meant that it was used in many places throughout homes, particularly in areas where insulation or temperature regulation are important. However, because asbestos was phased out during the 1980s, you are unlikely to find it in any part of your home that was built or added after that time.
Asbestos may be found in the following areas of your home:
- Insulation
- Paint
- Around stoves, boilers, water heaters and fireplaces
- Heating ducts and furnaces
- Vinyl flooring
- Ceiling tiles or "popcorn ceiling"
- Exterior walls, especially stucco
- Shingles
Unfortunately, you cannot determine whether your home contains asbestos on your own. If you are concerned about the presence of asbestos in your home, you should have a professional inspect it.
Cost of removing asbestos
Depending on the extent to which asbestos is present in your home, removing it can cost thousands of dollars, especially if it must be removed from multiple rooms or areas. To ensure that all asbestos dust is collected safely, asbestos removal requires specialized equipment and training.
You should not attempt to remove asbestos yourself, unlike other home repairs that you may be able to do yourself for a lower cost. Asbestos removal professionals are trained to minimize contamination and prevent the spread of asbestos dust in your home. They will also clean up after themselves. In fact, removing asbestos without training is likely to introduce more contaminants into your home than simply leaving the asbestos alone.