What can be black, green – even orange, and impact your home, furniture, kids’ toys and even your health? MOULD!
Research released today by Suncorp Insurance found almost three quarters of Australians have experienced mould in their homes – with the top causes being lack of ventilation in wet areas (35 per cent), high humidity (32 per cent) and storm/flood damage (17 per cent).
Alarmingly though, considering so many Aussies admit to experiencing mould in their homes, almost a third (30 per cent) of Australians do not know the steps they can take to prevent mould from forming in their home, with 18 per cent often worrying about mould growth.
These statistics come as no surprise to Suncorp Insurance after analysing almost 20,000 mould-related home insurance claims across the country from 1 October 2021 to 30 September 2022, exposes how big a problem mould is in Australian homes.
We all know mould can grow on food which has been left in the pantry for too long, but many Australians don’t realise what could be lurking in their kids’ room, behind the couch, or on the dining room ceiling.
Insights from Suncorp Insurance claims data and research found:
- 85 per cent of mould-related claims were caused by natural hazard events (storms and floods), with the second most common cause being escape of liquid (13 per cent) – this includes claims where pipes inside the house leak or burst.
- Throughout the timeline analysed (October 2021 – September 2022), mould-related claims peaked in March 2022 – with over a third (37 per cent) occurring in the month just after the East Coast Floods
- If mould were to appear in their homes, over half (57 per cent) of Australians would have to rely on someone else to safely treat it and remove it, with:
- 30 per cent relying on Google for information and direction
- 12 per cent calling in an expert
- 6 per cent asking family and friends for help
- Almost one in ten Aussies (8 per cent) would not know where to start if they found mould in their home.
With the wet and wild weather Australians have experienced so far in 2022 – and with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting more for the coming summer months, Suncorp Insurance is on a mission to educate Aussies. They spoke with David Quinn, Executive General Manager, Flood and Fire Emergency Network (FEN) Australia to get the low-down on what mould is, where it can grow, and what you can do to spot, treat and prevent it from taking over your home.
