Bulletin No. 02-14

This Bulletin provides guidelines for Authorized Companies regarding Mold/Fungus Coverage for Personal and Commercial Lines. The Office of Property and Casualty is currently engaged in the process of approving limitations of coverage in property and liability filings under Insurance Service Office ("ISO") as follows:

1. ISO-Members

Coverage should be offered at $10,000, on an aggregate basis, with optional increased limits of $25,000, and $50,000 made available. The $10,000 annual aggregate coverage should include loss to property caused by mold, "fungi", wet or dry rot or bacteria, the cost to remove "fungi", wet or dry rot, or bacteria from property covered under Section 1, the cost to tear out and replace any part of the building or other covered property as needed to gain access to the "fungi", wet or dry rot, or bacteria; and, the cost of testing of air or property to confirm the absence, presence or level of "fungi", wet or dry rot, or bacteria. Coverage should apply only if such mold loss results from a "Peril Insured Against" that occurs during the policy period. The limitation does not apply to losses due to fire and lightning.

Liability

Liability coverage should apply, up to at least $50,000, on an aggregate basis, for the total of all damages arising directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, out of the actual, alleged or threatened inhalation of, ingestion of, contact with, exposure to, existence of, or presence of any mold, "fungi", wet or dry rot, or bacteria. Increased limits up to $100,000 should be available, when requested by the insured.

For companies that do not belong to ISO, the Department will entertain options to purchase higher liability limits. Companies with more restrictive exclusions than ISO will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

The Department advises all companies to begin capturing Mold Data in the statistical format currently in use for other lines for premiums and losses.

Notification should be sent to policyholders offering options to buy up to the higher limits.

All inquiries should be directed to:

Office of Property and Casualty
Department of Banking and Insurance
Attn: John DiYenno
PO Box 325
Trenton, NJ 08625-0325

Telephone: (609) 984-7310, Ext. 50450

Email:john.diyenno@dobi.state.nj.us

July 8, 2002 /s/ Holly C. Bakke_, Commissioner