Insurance against subsidence required by homeowners for coming summer

Tue, 10 Jun 2008

The Met Office has predicted a warmer than average summer for Britain this year, so homeowners should check that their property is insured against subsidence, says moneysupermarket.com.

There were 31,895 subsidence claims on domestic properties last year, at a cost of £162 million and most subsidence claims were subject to a £1,000 excess.

Peter Gerrard, head of insurance research at moneysupermarket.com, said: "Brits may love the warm weather but this can have a downside for the foundations of your home . Bouts of heat can cause the ground beneath a property to dry out and become unstable. Homes with trees nearby are more at risk of subsidence as roots grow in search of water during dry spells, taking moisture from the soil."

The most common sign of subsidence are cracks appearing in the wall, especially around the door and window frames . Some cracking is experienced naturally by all buildings . However, Mr Gerrard advises homeowners to contact their insurer if they find any cracks that are wider than a thumb as this could indicate subsidence.
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