Good call on the receipts and DIY notes—insurance adjusters definitely appreciate specifics. One thing I'd add: don't just skim the exclusions, but also double-check coverage limits. Had a client whose policy capped mold remediation ridiculously low... ever run into something like that?
Totally agree on checking those limits closely. Learned that lesson the hard way last year when our basement flooded. Thought we were covered, but turns out the policy had a super low cap on water backup damages—barely enough to cover cleanup, let alone repairs. Now I always ask specifically about water and mold limits, and if they're too low, I shop around or consider adding extra coverage. Better safe than sorry...
Good point about mold coverage—people often overlook that. I've seen cases where folks assumed mold remediation was fully included, only to find out later it was capped at something ridiculously low, like $2k. And mold cleanup can easily run into five figures if things get bad. Also worth checking if your policy covers wind-driven rain separately from flooding or water backup. Insurance companies love splitting hairs on these definitions... learned that one the hard way myself after a storm damaged our siding.
Yeah, mold coverage limits are sneaky. Another one people miss is sewer backup—often it's an optional add-on, not standard. Had a neighbor whose basement flooded from sewer issues, and he was stuck footing most of the bill himself... not fun.
"Had a neighbor whose basement flooded from sewer issues, and he was stuck footing most of the bill himself... not fun."
Yeah, that's rough. Honestly, these optional add-ons always feel like sneaky upsells to me. But after hearing stories like your neighbor's, I'm starting to think they're worth the extra few bucks a month—peace of mind counts for something.
