Walker Jack Consultants

Home and Buildings Insurance – Subsidence Cover

In home and buildings insurance terms, ‘subsidence’ refers to the lowering or sinking of the ground your home is built on. Some areas are more prone to subsidence than others and home and buildings insurance policies tend to reflect this. For people who live in subsidence prone areas it is important to ensure that it is covered before taking out a policy. Unfortunately, it also means that premiums and excesses will be higher, but it this necessary if you want to ensure against loss if the property is affected by subsidence.

If you are buying a home that has already been affected and if the repair work was done properly, finding an insurer won’t be a problem. In addition, there are a few things you can do to minimise the risk, and insurers love minimised risk.

•    Commission a complete structural survey to identify all potential problems. This is wise advice for anyone buying a home anywhere.
•    Taking out trees can cause foundation destabilisation, so before removing any already established ones, consult a tree specialist.
•    Before planting new trees do a little research; find out the expected maximum mature height of the species you are considering and use it to calculate how far you need to place the tree from the building.
•    Prune trees to a sensible height and keep them that way. This reduces risk of dried-out soil, which can cause subsidence.
•    Always keep gutters and drains clear.

If you do see signs of structural damage, contact your insurer immediately to reduce risk of extensive damage.