Insurers should be paying for testing and cleanup of lead and asbestos. But lately they've decided not to.
Toxic Material Testing Is Part of Standard Home Repairs
If you own an older home in California—and most homes here were built before the 1980s—it almost certainly contains asbestos or lead, or both. That might sound scary, but the good news is: when undisturbed, they’re generally safe.
Asbestos in flooring, drywall, or duct insulation poses little risk unless it's released into the air
Lead paint or plumbing is dangerous only when broken, deteriorated, or disturbed
The problem? Fires, floods, or other damage events do disturb them—and that’s when proper testing and abatement becomes essential.
What Happens After Damage: Testing and Cleanup
If your home has been damaged by fire, smoke, water, or another insured event, the next steps should be:
Testing for asbestos and lead in areas affected by the damage
If found, licensed abatement crews should remove and dispose of those materials safely and legally
This process is crucial—not just for protecting your family, but also for the construction crews repairing your home and even the insurance adjusters entering your property.
The Real Issue: Some Insurers Don’t Want to Pay
Here’s the catch: asbestos and lead testing and cleanup costs money. And some insurance companies—though not all—have taken the position that they don’t have to cover it.
They treat this essential part of the repair process as an optional add-on, claiming it’s outside the scope of what they’re obligated to pay.
California Law Says Otherwise
Let’s be clear: this corner-cutting is illegal under California law.
If your insurance policy covers property damage repairs, it should also cover the necessary and legally required steps to make those repairs safe and code-compliant—which includes hazardous material testing and abatement.
And yes—we’re holding insurers accountable when they don’t.
If your insurance company denied coverage for asbestos or lead removal, even if it happened years ago, we want to hear from you.