Subsidence can crack walls, affect foundations, and lead to complex home insurance claims, checks, excesses, and repairs.
Subsidence is when the ground beneath a building sinks. This can pull the foundations down and damage the structure above.
It is one type of ground movement. The Financial Ombudsman Service explains that other types include heave, landslip, and settlement.
Subsidence can be serious, but not every crack means your home has subsidence. Signs can include diagonal cracks, cracks that are wider at the top, doors or windows sticking, or wallpaper tearing for no clear reason. The ABI’s subsidence guidance says cracks linked to subsidence are often visible inside and outside the home.
Subsidence often happens when soil moves or loses support. Clay soil can shrink in dry weather. Trees and shrubs can also take water from the soil near a building.
Other causes can include leaking drains, damaged water pipes, old mines, quarries, or poorly compacted ground. In some areas, coal mining can also be a cause. You can check whether a property may be affected by coal mining through GOV.UK’s coal mining search service.
If damage is caused by coal mining, a claim may need to be made through the Mining Remediation Authority. GOV.UK explains how to claim for subsidence damage caused by coal mining.
Subsidence is usually linked to buildings insurance because it can affect walls, floors, foundations, garages, and outbuildings.
Many home insurance policies include cover for subsidence, heave, and landslip. But cover depends on the policy. The ABI says buildings insurance will usually cover damage to the structure of the property and outbuildings caused by subsidence.
There are limits to check. Damage to garden walls, fences, gates, patios, and driveways is not usually covered unless the home is damaged at the same time. A higher insurance excess may also apply. MoneyHelper says subsidence excesses can be around £1,000.
If you think your home has subsidence, contact your insurer as soon as you can. The insurer may ask for photos, a survey, drain checks, soil tests, or expert reports.
Some cases need monitoring before repairs start. This helps show whether the building is still moving. The Financial Ombudsman Service says subsidence claims can need technical evidence, including crack monitoring and expert reports.
Repairs depend on the cause. Some homes may only need the cause fixed and cracks repaired. In more serious cases, underpinning may be needed, but this is not used for every claim.
A subsidence claim may also affect future insurance. An insurer may ask about previous damage, past repairs, claim history, excesses, and whether movement has stopped. This can affect the price, terms, or availability of cover.
You should answer insurer questions carefully when you get a quote, renew or change your policy.
This may include telling the insurer about known subsidence, past claims history, underpinning, structural reports, cracks, drainage problems, nearby trees, or coal mining risk, if asked.
The Financial Ombudsman Service explains that customers must take reasonable care not to give wrong or incomplete information. If key details are missed, an insurer may change how it deals with a policy or claim, depending on the case.
At Got You Covered, we can help with home insurance where a property has had subsidence or may be seen as a higher risk.
We can also discuss options for landlord insurance if the property is let out.
We arrange insurance through insurers. We do not underwrite every policy ourselves. Cover, price, excesses, exclusions, documents, and acceptance can vary by insurer and by the full details of the property.
Subsidence means the ground beneath a building sinks and affects its foundations. It can be caused by soil movement, trees, leaking drains, mining, or other ground issues.
It can lead to complex claims, higher excesses, and more questions from insurers. Check your policy wording carefully so you understand what is and is not covered.
