Mold-Help.org - The world's largest TOXIC MOLD website
  • Mold Basics
    • Mold Overview
    • Mold Symptoms
    • Mold Types & Images
    • Fungal Infections
  • Resources and Tools
    • Home Care
    • Health & Diet
    • Tips for Parents
    • Coping with Loss
    • Private Research
    • Legal Suggestions
    • Mold in the Bible
  • Mold News
    • Current Headlines
    • “Sick Buildings”
    • The Environment
    • Construction Industry
    • Govt. & Politics
    • The Workplace
    • Landlords & Tenants
    • Insurance Companies
    • Schools & Institutions
    • Strange Fungal Tales
    • Personal Mold Stories
    • Additional Articles
  • Agencies & Experts
  • About Mold-Help
    • Mold-Help News
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Southern homeowners group harried over mold

October 3, 2004/in Insurance Companies /by Contributor

8/1/02

A grass roots homeowners’ movement in Texas is trying to take on the state’s insurance industry’s practices in handling mold-related homeowner insurance claims. Policyholders of America has issued a series of alleged problems and proposed solutions on which it wants the state legislature to take action. The organizer, headed up by mold activist, Melinda Ballard, said in a statement that the group’s “legislative agenda for Texas lawmakers” is intended to address alleged “rate abuse” on the part of homeowner insurance issuers in the state.

“Rate abuse has gotten so out of control in Texas that it has become the hottest issue in this campaign season. Homeowners are up-in-arms, real estate closings are being thwarted, homeowners who have put a claim in are being targeted and punished, and all of this has taken its toll on the already unstable Texas economy,” said Ballard. The group claims that Texas lawmakers accidentally created a legal “loophole” that allows certain insurers to escape regulatory controls. “Nearly 95 percent of the insurers operating in Texas today have used this loophole to dodge regulation and reporting of requested claims information and underwriting data,” according to the group’s statement. The group wants lawmakers to close the loophole and require state approval of all insurance rate increases.

The group alleges that insurer fraud and bad faith are on the rise and that some insurers can be categorized as “habitual” offenders. The group wants the state to implement a plan that would bar any insurer “found by a jury of Texas citizens to have committed fraud/bad faith three times within a three year period” from doing business in the state. The group dislikes policy language that prohibits homeowners from beginning repairs until after the insurer has concluded its investigation of a claim. The group believes homeowners should be allowed to make repairs immediately in cases of water damage to prevent mold. The group wants insurers to adopt certain internal claims handling policies designed to discourage mold.

Homeowners who begins repairs before the claim is investigated would be required to “store removed materials” for the insurer’s purposes. The group alleges that insurers are canceling policies while claim are pending and “black-balling” homeowners and properties that have made water damage claims. The group believes insurers should be prohibited from canceling coverage until a claim is resolved and that insurers should be required to continue coverage with capped rate increases for at least three years after a water damage claim. The group accuses insurers of causing mold infestation in homes through wrongful delays, denials and disputes over claims. “These expensive mold claims could have been repaired very inexpensively if the insurer would have properly handled the claim when it was filed,” the group stated.

The proposed solutions include an industry-wide investigation of price gouging practices with “significant fines” and consumer rebates on tap for the “guilty parties.” Policyholders of America also wants penalties for alleged “discriminatory practices in claims handling” that supposedly benefit “powerful” homeowners. It wants governmental oversight of the dispute resolution process, a requirement that the process be voluntary instead of mandated by the homeowner policy and public disclosure of all dispute resolution awards. The group also wants to restrict insurance companies’ use of credit reports in property insurance underwriting.  Time will tell if the group will actually do anything of determination but everyone remains optimistic.

Contributor
Author: Contributor

Tags: mold, Melinda Ballard, POA, Policy Holders of America
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share by Mail
https://www.mold-help.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/moldhelp-654x300.png 0 0 Contributor https://www.mold-help.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/moldhelp-654x300.png Contributor2004-10-03 21:02:262019-03-29 20:19:47Southern homeowners group harried over mold
You might also like
Mold-Help logo Florence Schools Declared Mold Free And Safe
Mold-Help logo Toxic-Building Mold Has Grown in the Nation's Capital
Mold-Help logo Trained Dogs Proving Successful Mold Detection
Mold-Help logo Teacher Will Lose Home After Losing Job
Mold-Help logo Japan; Wild Edible Fungi Is Toxic
Mold-Help logo Light Therapy May Help with Fungal Infections

Mold News

  • Current Headlines
  • "Sick Buildings"
  • The Environment
  • Construction Industry
  • Govt. & Politics
  • The Workplace
  • Landlords & Tenants
  • Insurance Companies
  • Schools & Institutions
  • Personal Mold Stories
  • Strange Fungal Tales
  • Additional Articles

Latest Posts

  • Michigan Family Finds Toxic Mold Inside Home
  • California Winter Storms: Water Damage and Mold Exposure Concerns in California
  • Office and Commercial Buildings at Risk for Mold after COVID-19 Closings
  • COVID-19 Symptoms May Include Loss of Taste and Smell
  • New Mold Detox Information on the Horizon
  • COVID-19 Courses of Action
  • Stachybotrys
  • Simple and Easy Ways to Prevent the Coronavirus
  • Your Air Conditioning Unit Helps Eliminate Mold
  • Construction Workers Are Learning to Control Dust and Debris

Search Our Site:

Need Help with Mold?

Are you being affected by mold or other mycotoxins in your environment? Our team and community has over 15 years experience and can provide guidance. You can reach us by submitting your contact or through our Facebook page.

Have a Story to Share?

We're looking for stories and input to expand our database and to add to the personal experiences we've received from the thousands of victims over the last 15. If mold has impacted your life, please take the time to share your story. Your information is confidential and will only be shared with your permission.

Seeking Mold Experts

Are you an expert in the treatment of mold-affected health illnesses, or a provider of services to victims of mycotoxin exposure? Submit your information for listing consideration in our Agencies & Experts resource database.

Additional Resources

  • Contact Us
  • Sitemap
  • Glossary of Terms
  • Survivor Resources
  • General Inquiries
  • Legal Disclaimer

© Copyright - Mold-Help Organization
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Mold Basics
  • Resources and Tools
  • Agencies & Experts
  • Mold News
  • About Mold-Help
Scroll to top

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

OKLearn more

Cookie and Privacy Settings



How we use cookies

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

Essential Website Cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

Other external services

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

Accept settingsHide notification only