Asbestos: What Does My House Insurance Cover?

If asbestos is in good condition, it is not harmful. However, it becomes exceedingly dangerous when it ages or degrades – for example, during house renovations or demolition. So if during renovations or DIY, you need to know if you have asbestos insurance coverage.

How Does Asbestos Appear?

Asbestos used to be available in three colours: blue, brown, and white. The filaments, however, are frequently too tiny to perceive with the human eye. Blue and brown were employed to fortify construction materials such as concrete. These two forms of asbestos were also utilised as adhesives so that they may be found under old floor tiles. To insulate boilers and heating pipes, heat-resistant white asbestos was regularly used.

Asbestos can be difficult to recognise since it resembles other construction materials and is frequently blended with other materials or sprayed on in certain situations. If you believe your home has asbestos, don’t allow any room for doubt: get an expert.

Is It Always Necessary to Remove Asbestos?

If the asbestos is in good condition and is in a location where it is unlikely to be harmed, it may be better to leave it alone. An expert may sometimes propose spraying the asbestos with a special coating or covering it to protect it from harm. You may only need to check on it regularly to ensure it is not degrading.

Suppose you have construction or renovation work done on your home. In that case, you must notify the contractors if asbestos is present to safeguard your family and anybody working on your property. If you are performing significant repairs that are likely to disrupt asbestos-containing areas, you may require the assistance of a suitably qualified and licenced contractor.

Public Health England strongly advises against attempting to remove asbestos yourself. It would be best to exercise caution while performing DIY work in older homes since you may accidentally stumble across asbestos and break it up without realising it.

Who Should I Contact to Get Asbestos Removed?

You must call a licenced contractor who can do a risk assessment and, if required, safely remove the asbestos. The Asbestos Removal Contractors Association will help you discover a professional.

You can also contact your local government for advice on proceeding safely.

If you rent your home, the landlord is responsible for securing any asbestos-containing items or removing and disposing of them.

Is my home insurance going to cover asbestos removal?

Most house insurance policies do not cover asbestos removal from your home or apartment.

Why Doesn’t Homeowners Insurance Cover Asbestos Removal?

In the UK, an estimated 1.5 million properties are thought to contain asbestos. The prospective expenses of asbestos removal in each one would require insurers to charge substantially higher rates if they were to do so.

Only a very small proportion of homeowners could afford the higher rates if the premiums were raised. As a consequence, asbestos-related costs are routinely excluded by insurance providers.

However, the insurance on your building can cover the safe removal of asbestos if asbestos is damaged or disturbed by an event covered by your policy, such as a storm, fire, or flood.

You should talk with your insurance provider since policies differ regarding asbestos insurance.

Conclusion

You should contact a licenced asbestos surveyor to determine the risk if you need more information about the asbestos in your home and discuss this with your insurer.