Industry News and Press Releases
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January 12, 2003 - Austin American-Statesman
Businesses spring up to promise protection against mold-causing leaks
Some homeowners think mold is a health danger, and insurance companies consider it a threat to their profits, but David Swift sees a business opportunity. -
September 25, 2002 - Austin American-Statesman
Farmers pulling out of Texas homeowners' market
Insurance company won't renew policies, leaving about 700,000 policyholders scrambling to find coverage. -
August 22, 2002 - British Medical Journal
Molds increase severity of asthma
Severe asthma in adults may be associated with sensitivity to airborne molds rather than pollens. -
July 28, 2002 - Corpus Christi Caller-Times
Texas must regulate home insurance again
The Lloyd's loophole allows insurance companies to set home-owner premiums without state oversight. -
June 1, 2002 - Texas Deptartment of Insurance
Protecting Your Home From Mold
Homeowners who act quickly and appropriately can prevent or correct conditions that may cause mold growth. -
April 1, 2002 - Texas Deptartment of Insurance
Effectively Handling Water Damage and Mold Claims
A Consumer Guide for Texas Homeowners for post mortem of a mold claim. -
March 8, 2002 - Texas Deptartment of Insurance
Montemayor Expands Options for Homeowners
Commissioner Jose Montemayor acted today to reduce rates, expand consumer choices and improve insurance availability. -
February 18, 2002 - Austin American-Statesman
Rising Insurance Premiums Shock Texas Homeowners
Increasing insurance in premiums is cause for alarm for homeowners, while the insurance industry states huge loses. -
February 11, 2002 - Dallas Morning News
Mold worries home builders
Home-builder worries about liabilities resulting from mold infestation have reached a crisis level after a series of highly publicized court awards. -
December 12, 2001 - Corpus Christi Caller-Times
Texas House committee looks at builders' liability
Panel finds mold issues are difficult Texas House committee looks at builders' liability. -
December 1, 2001 - Press Release
FloodStopper System May Allay Insurers, Homeowners Mold Fears
With rising homeowners insurance, The Floodstopper can help homeowners buy some peace of mind. -
December 1, 2001 - Risk & Insurance Magazine
Will mold claims break the bank?
Claims for property damage and bodily injury due to mold are growing. Insurance companies, however, are denying the claims, saying they never intended to cover them, nor do they have the ability to quantify the risk. -
November 28, 2001 - Texas Deptartment of Insurance
Montemayor Protects Consumer Choice, Availability of Mold Coverage
Commissioner Jose Montemayor restructured the state's residential property policies on mold-related insurance coverage helping Texas avoid a residential property insurance crisis. -
November 20, 2001 - Dallas Morning News
What's behind the 'mold scare'?
The growing "mold scare" is having a negative effect on consumers. Mold cases and lawsuits are driving up liability insurance costs and making it harder to find homeowners' coverage. -
November 12, 2001 - Texas Deptartment of Insurance
Montemayor Tells Farmers to Stop Non-Renewal Plan
Commissioner Jose Montemayor today told Farmers Insurance Group to immediately stop all activities related to non-renewal of the most-common homeowners policies in Texas pending clarification of its plans. -
November 10, 2001 - Associated Press
Farmers drops Texas homeowners
Citing increasing mold claims, Farmers Insurance Group says it will not renew comprehensive homeowners insurance policies for any of its 600,000 customers in Texas next year. -
October 31, 2001 - Dallas Morning News
Mold judgment upheld
A state judge Tuesday affirmed a $32 million jury verdict against Farmers Insurance Group in a landmark toxic mold case that grabbed national attention and stunned the insurance industry in Texas. -
September 30, 2001 - San Antonio
Express- News
Insurers get set for big losses, price boost
The industry is bracing for huge insurance claims. For consumers, it will mean regular increases in auto, home and life insurance premiums starting next year. -
September 29, 2001 - Associated Press
Allstate turns off water coverage
Allstate Texas Lloyds, the third-largest property insurer in Texas , said Friday it will no longer offer new homeowners insurance policies in Texas that include water coverage. -
September 28, 2001 - Associated Press
SAFECO cuts new policies in Texas
The industry is bracing for huge insurance claims. For consumers, it will mean regular increases in auto, home and life insurance premiums starting next year. -
September 19, 2001 - Associated Press
Plan caps coverage for mold
Homeowners' insurance would pay expenses up to $5000. Coverage for mold damage in homeowners' insurance policies would be scaled back significantly but possibly allowing homeowners to buy more protection at additional cost. -
August 1, 2001 - Associated Press
Farmers Insurance won't cover water damage
Farmers Insurance Group, the state's second largest insurer, says rising losses from heavy rain, mold and other claims will cause it to stop selling new homeowners policies in Texas that cover water damage. -
July 29, 2001 - San Antonio
Express-News
Mold can take over houses
Where there's water, there may be mold. Any kind of household leak plumbing, air conditioning or roof - can serve as a habitat for airborne mold spores that happen to drift in on an errant breeze, settle in and decide to stay. -
June 17, 2001 - San Antonio
Express-News
Plumbing Invention Prevents Water Damage
The integration of plumbing hardware and electronics can now offer 24-hour protection from internal flood damage in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. -
March 16, 2001 - Environmental Protection Agency
Children's Health Initiative: Toxic Mold
Outbreaks of the fungi Stachybotrys atra (S. atra) are under investigation for an association with the deaths of infants in Cleveland, Ohio, and serious health problems in other areas of the U.S. -
February 27, 2001 - Washington State Department of Health
Is Indoor Mold Contamination a Threat to Health?
Molds, a subset of the fungi, are ubiquitous on our planet. Fungi are found in every ecological niche, and are necessary for the recycling of organic building blocks that allow plants and animals to live. -
November 1, 2000 - National Real Estate Investor
The mold menace
Lawsuits and an emphasis on indoor air quality by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Healthy Homes Initiative suggest environmental quagmires. -
September 28, 2000 - CBS News
An Insidious Mold
A Dream House Loses Charm, Can Mold Cause Brain Damage? The toxic mold Stachybotrys, turns the dreams of one Austin, TX family into a tragedy. -
February 4, 1999 - American Phytopathological Society
Household Fungus Contributes To "Sick Building Syndrome"
The fungus Stachybotrys is commonly found in homes or buildings which have sustained flooding, or water damage from broken pipes, roof leaks, sewage backups, condensation. -
May 1, 1998 - Popular Home Automation
TOP 50 1998 Editors' Picks
FloodStopper awarded Popular Home Automation's Top 50 Editor's Pick -
April 1, 1998 - American Academy of Pediatrics
Toxic Effects of Indoor Molds
The growth of molds is pervasive throughout the outdoor environment. Given the proper conditions, molds may also proliferate in the indoor setting. Americans spend 75% to 90% indoors, they are exposed to molds that are growing indoors.
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