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Insurer warns of subsidence risk

Homeowners have been advised to take measures to reduce the risk of subsidence in their homes.

Halifax stated that the number of home insurance claims related to subsidence has risen rapidly in the last five years.

The organisation cited figures from the Association of British Insurers which showed that since 2002, the number of claims for subsidence has increased by 50 per cent.

In addition, insurance firms were said to have paid out £302 million on subsidence claims last year alone.

Neil Curling, senior structural claims manager at Halifax, said: "Signs that a property might be suffering from subsidence include cracks in walls, particularly if they start from corners of windows or doors which themselves may become difficult to open or close."

However, the firm has suggested various means of reducing the risk of subsidence, such as finding out whether any mining work has previously been carried out in the area, as about 15 per cent of subsidence claims are due to previous mining activity beneath a property.

Furthermore, Halifax suggested that homeowners could benefit from carrying out a survey of the drainage of the property to help identify any risk of subsidence caused by leaking water.

Insurance provider esure recently warned homeowners in the south-east of England that the growing trend of paving over front gardens to provide extra car parking space could make them more susceptible to subsidence.

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11/04/2007 15:41:26

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