"Oh no, we have had a flood, roof leak, window leak, pipe burst, etc., and now I think that we might have mold. Who should we call? Ghost Busters? Superman? My clergyman? My insurance company? I hope that we're covered for this."

Handling a water-intrusion claim when the clients are convinced that their residence or office has toxic mold growth (heaven help us) can be an insurance adjuster's worst nightmare. Mishandling a water-intrusion claim can make the adjuster's job seem like the eighth circle of hell, increasing costs to the insurer for unnecessary remediation and consultants, leading to bad faith claims, and creating difficulties for all involved.

There are ways to handle these claims quickly, however, keeping them out of the court system and settling them with minimal stress. The first step is to assess the time frame. If the event happened less than 72 hours previously, wet drywall materials can be dried or removed with little concern for fungal growth.