There were more than 600,000 claims from Hurricane Andrew in Florida, most with water damage, and not a single mold claim. Mold claims were unheard of in other states as well, but there is now a national mold hysteria and litigation over mold is the insurance lawsuit de jure. Homeowners rates in Texas doubled in about two years because of mold claims filed by about 1 percent of the state's policyholders. Mold claims produced significant rate increases in California as well.

The Office of Insurance Regulation and Florida insurance community moved last year to nip this business model created by the lawsuit industry in the bud by capping at various levels coverage for mold in the basic homeowners insurance policy, while offering insurers the option of additional coverage at a modest additional premium. The Legislature is considering bills this session to license or register mold remediation companies and establish standards for effective steps to clean up mold damage when it does occur.