Does Homeowners' Insurance Cover Biohazard Cleanup?

Most homeowners' insurance policies cover the cleaning and decontamination of biohazard contaminants and damage resulting from a suicide, unattended death, crime, accident, medical emergency, and infectious disease.  In addition, the policy likely covers any repairs or replacement of structural elements (flooring, carpet and pad, baseboards, drywall) that must be removed as part of the remediation process. When a claim is first opened, the situation and details must be explained in a manner that helps to ensure coverage.   How the situation is explained to the claims representative can impact whether or not you are covered and how much is covered and mitigates delay in cleaning your home or property.

Bio-One Marion County has filed many claims on behalf of its clients. It can help you file a claim with your insurance company, guide you through the process and be your advocate to ensure that your insurance company provides all that you are entitled to based on your policy.

What if You Haven't Found the Homeowner's Insurance Policy?

Bio-One Marion County understands that the policy information is often not readily available or needs to be found inside the home after the cleanup is completed. If a loved one has passed in their home, we can help you find and recover the policy information as part of our cleanup efforts.

It is important not to delay the biohazard remediation and to avoid further damage to your property and emotional well-being. Bio-One Marion County is here to help, and we want you to be physically and emotionally safe; thus, the biohazard cleanup should be done without delay.

The Claim Process

1. Bio-One Marion County will schedule with you a time and day to inspect and remediate the scene where the death or accident occurred.
2. Bio-One Marion County will take the necessary photos and measurements to document the scene before, during, and after the biohazard remediation process. 
3. Bio-One Marion County will collect the homeowner's insurance policy information necessary to file a claim on your behalf.  We will need the insurance company's name, the insured's name, and the policy number.
4. Bio-One Marion County will call the insurance company's national claim line and provide detailed information to the claim handler so you don't have to. The claim handler will open a claim and, in most cases, provide us with a claim number and the assigned adjuster's name and contact information.  To protect our client's emotional well-being by not having to relive the details of the situation, we ask the adjuster to contact us directly so we can explain the situation in detail and the work that was done and discuss the next steps for any work that still needs to be done to remediate odor, cross contamination or repairs.
5. Once the adjuster and Bio-One have spoken, the adjuster will contact you to verify the claim, get additional information, if necessary, and then discuss coverage with you.
6. Once the job is complete, Bio-One will submit the documentation, a properly formatted invoice, a report, and photographs to the adjuster.  We inform the adjuster what repairs, if any, must be made to the structure. 
7. The adjuster may call you to schedule an appointment so a field adjuster can visit the property to inspect and take measurements for funding the repair and replacement of covered items and structures.
8. The insurance company will mail you a check for less than the deductible or send Bio-One Marion County a check directly for our portion of the claim, and we will invoice you for the deductible.

Bio-One Marion County has your best interest in mind when filing a claim and dealing with the assigned adjuster. How the case is presented, and the documents submitted are essential to helping to ensure that the only out-of-pocket expense is deductible.

Please note that most biohazard claims are covered; however, all policies are different, and coverage varies based on the type of policy and named peril exclusions. Deductibles typically vary between $250-$2,500 but could be higher depending on the policy. Not all insurance companies will permit third parties to file a claim on behalf of the insured. In those few cases, we will file the claim alongside you, guide the process for you, and do our best to shield you from reliving the details.

Bio-One of Marion County is a locally owned and operated biohazard and hoarding cleaning company serving Indianapolis and surrounding areas. We specialize in blood, bodily fluid, and feces removal, rodent droppings cleaning, sewage cleanup, hoarding and pet hoarding cleaning, gross filth cleanup, and odor removal services. Helping people who are faced with difficult situations to get their surroundings and lives back in order is our #1 priority. 

Bio-One is here to help you 24/7, 365 days a year!  Call (317) 499-0614, and you'll speak directly to one of us when you call; there is never an answering service.  We'll treat you like a person with the compassion and respect that you deserve. 

Bio-One answers the call to help our community and remediate a variety of scenes. From hoarding, crime scene cleaning, or simply giving back, we'd like to bring you into the Bio-One world by sharing stories of the unique and important work we do.

Here is this week's Weekly Wrap-Up.

Arizona Law Enforcement Grant - Voting Ends August 15

Voting for the 2021 Bio-One AZ Law Enforcement Grant is almost over. Don't miss your chance to vote for an AZ law enforcement agency! First place receives a $5,000 grant from Bio-One and second place will receive a complimentary brats and burgers catered BBQ. 

Last year, congratulations went to the Snowflake Taylor Police Department. The $5,000 allowed them to purchase 15 fully stocked Modular Trauma & Bleeding First Aid Responder Kits, enough to equip every patrol vehicle! 

Thank you to the AZ Bio-One offices for making this possible!

National Law Enforcement Museum Post - 9/11 Exhibit

Bio-One, Inc. is a sponsor of the newest exhibit at the National Law Enforcement Museum, Post - 9/11: The Evolution of American Law Enforcement. 

As described on LawEnforcementMuseum.org:

Since 9/11 law enforcement has come together – in partnership with other agencies, the private sector, and the general public – to help make us all safer. In response to the threats raised by 9/11, law enforcement has seen changes in the areas of intelligence collection and analysis, interagency partnerships and information sharing, technology and innovation, training and preparation, and community engagement.

The National Law Enforcement Museum will present a new exhibition to mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11 and honor the officers who rose to the challenge that day. This will be the first exhibition to focus on the significant changes to U.S. law enforcement that occurred in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

The exhibit opens August 27, 2021 and tickets are available for purchase. 

To learn more about the exhibit, register for the August 19 virtual conversation The Post-9/11 Story: Questions, Reflections, and a Museum Exhibit. This program will pull back the curtain on the behind-the-scenes conversations that go into crafting an exhibit about the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and life since. Learn more and register here! 

What to Ask Before Hiring a Crime Scene Cleaner

New blog post! Today, there are hundreds of companies that advertise crime and trauma scene cleaning, and a simple Google search may prove overwhelming when you're experiencing one of the most traumatic moments in your life.

To help, we've listed pre-qualifying questions to ask before choosing a crime and trauma scene company. Here's a link to our recent blog post! 

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The roots of crime- and trauma-scene cleaning companies can be traced to the 1990s, and at that time only a dozen or so companies existed. The industry was widely unregulated and awareness of contamination risks were relatively non-existant.

"I was young and dumb and saw something you only see in movies, so I quickly shut the door, took a deep breath, sat on the couch with the widow and told everyone else to get her out of here and take her to lunch, and we’ll clean this up for her," said Nick-Anthony Zamucen, Founder of Bio-One Inc. "We were just trying to help a lady in her greatest time of need, and that’s for me how I got into the crime scene and cleaning business."  Read Nick's story in Franchise Times. 

Today, there are hundreds of companies that advertise crime and trauma scene cleaning, and a simple Google search may prove overwhelming when you're experiencing one of the most traumatic moments in your life. To help, we've listed pre-qualifying questions to ask before choosing a crime and trauma scene company. 

Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Crime and Trauma Scene Cleaner

There are a number of key questions to ask crime and trauma scene cleaning technicians or business owners to properly root out which one is best for your goals and circumstances. 

• Are you local? When there's a blood spill, response time is key to prevent biohazards from spreading and to ensure quick remediation. Several businesses may pay for online advertising in your city, but their technicians could be 3 or more hours away. Furthermore, avoid calling toll free numbers. "These numbers often lead to call centers. We're local. They're not," said Ginger Akemon, owner of Bio-One in Jacksonville, FL. 
• Is your business certified and insured? Professional crime and trauma scene cleaning companies should have bloodborne pathogen certifications, they should follow OSHA personal protective equipment (PPE) guidelines and remediation processes, and they should have insurance for their business. 
• What is your process for disposing biohazardous waste? Once the remediation is complete, the accumulated waste will need to be disposed in accordance to local state guidelines. Make sure the business owner or technician is aware of these guidelines and has an appropriate plan for disposal.  
• What happens to valuable or personal items that are impacted? At Bio-One, we are trained to be mindful of valuable and perceived valuable items, such as pictures, wallets, or a baseball card collection. Professional crime and trauma scene cleaners should ask if there are valuable items to keep an eye out for, and they will keep the family informed if these items are found. 
• How will you charge for your services? In most cases, home insurance will cover the cost of biohazard remediation - less your deductible. Ask if they can open a claim on your behalf, taking this burden off your shoulders. If you don't have homeowners insurance, it's OK to ask for a free estimate so you can compare costs between other local companies. 
• Will you be discrete during and after the job? Michele Amoranto, Bio-One owner in Oceanside, CA, always assures her clients that discretion is top of mind while her team is onsite. Bio-One vehicles are unmarked and technicians will designate work areas to don and doff PPE out of view from neighbors. 
• Do you have a list of resources that can help after the cleanup? You may need flooring replaced or fresh drywall installed, which will also be covered under your home insurance claim, and a recommendation could help speed up the reconstruction process. Additionally, many crime and trauma scene cleaners have connections with local counselors and victim's advocates. In west Texas, Bio-One owner, Garrett Spooner, always offers a list of free mental health resources and states that, "Being volunteers of our local Crisis Intervention Unit, we consider our job incomplete without making sure our clients' mental health, grief process, and other issues our clients may have, are addressed."

Last but certainly most important, make sure the business you speak with shows care and compassion for your situation. They should want to do everything possible to support you and your loved ones.

If you are searching for a crime and trauma scene cleaner, Bio-One is here for you. All of our offices adhere to our business motto Help First, Business Second and are available 24/7. Click here to search for a Bio-One team near you.

Rebecca Wallace, Bio-One owner, recently visited with Arizona Midday to share how the Bio-One team makes a difference on and off the job in Arizona and throughout the United States. 

Arizona Midday - "Well we've got some help for your home right now. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a clean-up project, we've got help for you today. Rebecca Wallace is with Bio-One. Hi Rebecca. What is Bio-One?"

Rebecca - "So Bio-One is known for crime and trauma scene clean-up. However, we do a lot more than just that. We help people when there is a hoarding situation, so that they can regain their home and their lives again. We help with infectious disease decontamination, rodent droppings, odor abatement, basically if you think you might need a respirator to do the job we're the people you want to call."

Arizona Midday - "Wow, that's incredible. It's stuff we don't want to do. What made you decide to get into this line of work?" 

Rebecca - "So, me and my husband live in Flagstaff most of the time and we were talking with some first responders and heard how when people pass away or they're hoarders there is no one that can help them. There's just no one who does this kind of work. So we decided we want to be able to help our community, help those around us during a time of need so they can actually move forward in their lives and not have to deal with the mess of maybe things that have happened that they don't want to have to think about."

Arizona Midday - "I love that idea. So in order to help your clients as much as possible, do you work with other companies? Tell me about that if you do."

Rebecca - "Yes, we do. We work with quite a few other companies, because what we do is just a piece of a whole puzzle. So we work with a lot of restoration companies, Best Option Restoration, they are state-wide like us so they can help us anywhere as well. We work with animal rescues, so if there is a hoarding situation that animals are involved in we can get the animals out safely and get them rehabilitated. We work with quite a few non-profits that help first responders if they're in a time of need or crisis. It's across the board. We work with all kinds of different people. Contractors. Mental health professionals. Anyone that can be a piece of that puzzle with us, we want to work with them. 

Arizona Midday - "Oh, I love that. So what areas of Arizona does Bio-One cover?"

Rebecca - "We have offices all the way down from Tucson up to Flagstaff, and everything in-between. Our goal is to be able to help our clients within 90 minutes or less if there is an emergency. So we have offices everywhere. Any we're national. We have 120 offices throughout the US as well. 

Arizona Midday - "Wow. That's incredible. So you work with businesses. You work with non-profits, but you're also really involved in the community too, right? Tell me about that."

Rebecca - "Yeah we are. It's important for us to give back. Our community is important. We live here. We're part of it. So in 2020 alone, we gave out over 25,000 bottles of chemicals that are approved by the EPA for COVID-19 decontamination. We have blood drives all throughout Arizona to help with the blood shortage. We donate PPE to first responders and victim advocates. And we have BBQ's throughout the state as well for all of our first responders just to tell them thank you for what they've been doing. They work hard and we want to make sure that they know we care. 

Arizona Midday - "Rebecca Wallace, incredible work that you're doing with Bio-One.  And thank you so much for spending time with us today. 

Rebecca - "Thank you for having me."