Florida is seeing a substantial climb in mold-related insurance claims. Allstate Corp. reported a 25 percent increase in the past year, and State Farm Insurance claims jumped from 83 in 2000 to 700 in 2001.
"More and more occurrences of mold are being reported in Florida, mostly because people here are becoming more aware of what mold is and the adverse effects it can have on their health," said Brian L'Hommedieu, CMR, president of MicrOscope Inc., a mold remediation company.