Who pays for crime scene cleanup in California?

California victim compensation for crime scene cleanup

CalVCB runs the state's victim compensation program. Government Code section 13957(a)(9) lets the Board reimburse the reasonable cost of cleaning the scene of a crime that happened in a residence or inside a vehicle, up to $1,709. The limit was $1,000 until July 1, 2022, when new state funding raised it.

Who qualifies

• The direct victim of the crime
• A derivative victim, such as a family member, roommate or caretaker
• Anyone who paid for the cleanup, or took on the obligation to pay, without expecting to profit from it

Conditions that catch people out

• The cleanup company must be registered with the California Department of Public Health as a trauma scene waste management practitioner. Check before you hire.
• The Board reimburses the removal of biohazard material, not damaged property such as a ruined sofa or carpet.
• You will need proof the crime happened in a residence or vehicle, and the cleanup company's receipt.

CalVCB does not say whether a suicide counts as the scene of a crime for this benefit. If that is your situation, ask the Board directly.

How to apply

Apply online, on a paper form, or with the help of a victim advocate. The Board's line is 800-777-9229. Apply within seven years of the crime (or seven years after a minor victim turns 21), and submit expenses within three years of paying them.

Local district attorneys have victim advocates who help with the application at no charge:

Homeowners and renters insurance

Consumer cost guides such as HomeGuide and Fixr report that most homeowners policies cover biohazard cleanup when the cause is sudden and accidental, such as a death, an injury or a crime, leaving you to pay the deductible. Renters insurance may cover a tenant's own belongings, but the structure is the owner's policy.

What policies generally exclude matters as much. The California Department of Insurance lists neglect, wear and tear, insects and rodents, mold, and losses to a home left vacant for 60 days or more among the usual exclusions. That is why hoarding cleanups are rarely paid by insurance, and why a death that went unnoticed in an empty property can raise questions.

Before the cleanup starts:

• Call the insurer or agent, report the loss and get a claim number.
• Ask whether the cleanup company can bill the insurer directly.
• Photograph the affected rooms from the doorway.
• Keep the estimate, invoice and any waste disposal records.

When a tenant dies

The unit belongs to the owner, so the owner normally hires and pays the cleanup company, then claims on a landlord policy or against the tenant's estate. Rules on the tenant's belongings and on disclosing the death to future tenants are summarized on the property managers page.

Paying the rest

Whatever is not covered is paid by the family, often from the estate of the person who died. Ask the cleanup company for an itemized written estimate so you can see which lines insurance or CalVCB may cover. Published price ranges are in the cost of unattended death cleanup guide.