How to Survive the Insurance Claim Circus (Step by Step Guide to Dealing with Asbestos, Mold and Insurance)

It always starts with a bang (or a drip… or a puff of suspicious smoke). One minute you’re living your life, and the next you’re staring at a collapsed ceiling, soggy carpet, or walls that look like they’ve been through a battlefield. Your brain’s in overdrive — Call insurance! Call a contractor! Pull out hair! Where’s the mop?!

Take a breath. Put the mop down. And whatever you do… don’t plug in those fans yet.

Welcome to the world of insurance claims for water or fire damage — where speed matters, details save you money, and knowing how asbestos and mold fit into the picture can be the difference between a smooth project and a disaster inside a disaster.

At Elevation Environmental Services, we’ve been through this rodeo more times than we can count. Here’s your step-by-step, no-fluff, slightly sassy guide to getting through an insurance claim with your sanity intact.

Step 1: File the Claim Before You Forget

After you’ve made sure everyone is safe and the immediate emergency is handled (yes, 911 comes before insurance), your next move is to contact your insurance provider.

When you call:

• Have your policy number ready.

• Describe the damage in clear terms — avoid guessing causes unless you’re certain.

• Ask for your claim number (write it down — this number is your golden ticket through the process).

Fact: Insurance companies often assign an adjuster — this is your new pen pal. Get their email. Trust us, email beats phone tag every time.

Step 2: Before You Touch Anything, Test for Asbestos and Mold

We’ve seen it so many times: a homeowner walks in, sees wet collapsed ceiling, and immediately sets up fans to “dry it out.” Sounds reasonable, right? Not if that drywall has asbestos.

When you run fans or air movers on collapsed, broken, or heavily damaged building materials before testing, you risk sending microscopic asbestos fibers or mold spores everywhere — your air, your HVAC system, your lungs.

In Colorado, materials like drywall, plaster, floor tiles, and even textured ceilings can contain asbestos if installed before the mid-1980s (and sometimes even later...shout out to Highlands Ranch). Water or fire damage can also cause mold to develop quickly. If mold is present, it's possible airborne spore are just waiting to catch flight, adding a fan into the mix can cause those suckers to become airborne and affect your health.

Call an environmental testing company first (like us!) so you know exactly what you’re dealing with before cleanup begins.

For a deeper dive on why testing first matters, check out our article: Is Asbestos Dangerous? What You Need to Know. It's an oldie but a goodie!

Want to learn what kind of samples are collected for mold? Check out our blog Mold Testing Explained: Air Samples, Swabs, and ERMI in Denver

Step 3: Gather Your Documentation (Your Future Self Will Thank You)

Insurance claims love paperwork — the more, the better. You’ll want:

• Photos and videos of the damage before anything is moved.

• Your testing reports for asbestos and mold.

• Any emergency service invoices (like water extraction or board-up services).

• A list of damaged items with their approximate values.

Why it matters: The more proof you have, the harder it is for the insurance company to downplay your loss. Documentation can also speed up the approval process for repairs.

Step 4: Don’t Commit to the First Estimate

Here’s an open secret in the insurance world: the first estimate from your insurance company might be… let’s just say “optimistically low.”

It’s not that they don’t want to cover you — but adjusters work with limited info at the start. Once asbestos or mold testing is complete, contractors may find hidden damage behind walls, under floors, or above ceilings.

This is where the term “supplement” comes in. A supplement is an additional request to your insurance company for extra funds once hidden damage or necessary safety measures are found. It’s standard, it’s legitimate, and it’s often the only way to get the job done right.

Supplements aren’t rare — in fact, more than half of water or fire damage claims involve one.

Have a ceiling collapse and you know it has asbestos? Our article Minor vs. Major Asbestos Spills in the Denver Metro Area: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters dives into what "Spills" are in the world of asbestos and what that means to you. I promise, it's not in a "YOU'RE GOING TO DIE" tone. One of my favorite articles we've written.

Step 5: Handle the Money Like a Pro (and Avoid Insurance Fraud)

Insurance payments can feel like a windfall… until you realize they’re meant to pay for the actual repairs.

Best practices:

• Keep the money in a separate account until work is complete.

• Pay your contractors directly from those funds.

• Don’t pocket the leftover — if you change the repair plan, notify your insurance company to stay above board.

Using insurance money for anything other than the covered repairs can cross into insurance fraud territory — and that’s not the kind of excitement you want in your life. So don't start scheduling a vacation to Ibiza or test driving a new car! That money is for the vendors working on your home.

Step 6: Relax — Filing a Claim Doesn’t Automatically Raise Your Rates

A lot of homeowners hesitate to file a claim because they’re scared their rates will skyrocket. Here’s the truth: insurance companies generally don’t raise rates for single, isolated claims — especially for things like water or fire damage caused by unexpected events.

Multiple claims in a short period? That’s a different story. But for most people, it’s better to use your coverage when you need it than to let your home fall apart out of fear.

This is also very helpful is asbestos is involved. The abatement process can get pricey really quick and that's a bill your don't want to cover.

Asbestos isn’t just in old ceilings — it can be in floor tiles, adhesives, wall textures, pipe insulation, and even some vinyl sheet flooring from the ‘90s.

Step 7: Work With Professionals Who Know the Process

Choosing contractors and testing companies who’ve dealt with insurance claims is like picking a hiking guide who actually knows the trail — you get where you’re going faster, with fewer surprises.

At Elevation Environmental, we not only handle asbestos and mold testing in the Denver metro area (Aurora, Centennial, Arvada, Lakewood — we see you!), but we also understand the insurance dance. We provide detailed, claim-ready reports that keep your project moving. We can also work with your insurance directly so that is one less thing off your stressed-filled plate!

Need other companies that handle asbestos abatement, restoration, or remediation? We got you covered! We work with some of the most amazing companies in the Denver Metro Area! Truly, we are insanely picky when selecting trusted partners and these partners made the cut. They are so good, we would trust them with our personally home. You truly can't go wrong with any of them!

Water Damage, Fire Damage, and Mold Remediation:

• High Plains Restoration

  • Family owned and operated, Shannon and his daughter Madison are an amazing team and ready to help whoever with whatever they can!

• Fire loss Response Team

  • Davion is our go to man when it comes to fire loss situations! He truly cares about his clients and walks them through the whole process with no pressure.

• Restoration 1 of West Denver & Aurora

  • You can't go wrong with Restoration 1 West! Micah and his team are full of knowledge and eager to help in rough situations!

• 1800-Water Damage

  • 1800-Water Damage is a new partner of ours and they have knocked our socks off! New to the Denver Metro Area, but not to Colorado, Robert and Justin on top of their game and want to make sure you are fully taken care from start to finish.

Asbestos Abatement:

• AmeriForce

  • Tony and his team are absolutely incredible at working with insurance claims. They are the fastest in the business and do it with so much care with the client in mind. Their goal is to help as many people as possible through tough situations.

• EcoTech

  • Brisa and William are an incredible team with an amazing crew! They are truly easy to work with and we have heard nothing but amazing things about them when we follow up with clients who work with them. They make sure the client is comfortable every step of the way.

• All Centennial

  • All Centennial may not have a website to check out, but they are one of the best companies when it comes to abatement in the Denver Metro Area. They work primarily off of word of mouth and there is a reason why. They are that good!

• Extreme Environmental

  • Like us, Nacho and Arlene are a mom and pop shop and provide an extra level of care to each client. They are vey reasonably priced and always make sure the job is done right before ever leaving the home.

Mold can start growing within 24–48 hours of water damage, even in places you can’t see.

Final Thoughts: Your Game Plan in a Nutshell

1. File the claim and get your claim number.

2. Test for asbestos and mold before cleanup. (Let us help with that!)

3. Document everything.

4. Expect and plan for supplements.

5. Handle insurance funds with care.

6. Don’t fear your rates.

7. Work with pros who get it. (We are happy to connect your directly!)

Need asbestos or mold testing in the Denver metro area? Call Elevation Environmental Services and we’ll help you turn insurance chaos into a project that’s handled — and safe.

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