How dangerous is toxic mould, and why is it costing US insurers billions in claims? Good questions, but the answers aren’t easy. Californian insurers are breathing a sigh of relief that a proposed state bill which would have forced them to provide standard toxic mould cover for householders at affordable rates, no matter how high the claims went, has been defeated.

But now similar legislation has popped up in the Congress in Washington DC. The Toxic Mould Safety and Protection Bill is intended to protect homeowners and force insurers to cut premiums by establishing guidelines on acceptable levels of mould. The Bill also calls for the establishment of an insurance pool to cover the costs associated with toxic mould clean-up.