Household Insurance: does subsidence affect you?

Household Insurance policies have the availability to cover many potential risks. These types of risks can include: an unoccupied property, a non-standard property, bad debt, flood risks, and so on. Many people do not often look into just how important subsidence insurance can be when it comes to their Household Insurance.

So, what do you need to know? And does it affect you?

Household Insurance and subsidence

What should you look out for?

Subsidence primarily affects properties built on soil. It can also be caused by cracked drains or by tree / vegetation roots which draw water from the soil.

One of the first (and often most common) signs of potential subsidence issues can be vertical cracking in the walls of the property. Be aware - this doesn't necessarily mean that there is a serious problem. You can often expect to see this from new build properties as it's a sign of them settling into their foundations - this is perfectly normal. If you're unsure, get an expert to check it out for you.

Your property suffered from subsidence but it was over 25 years ago, do you need to disclose this / apply for a subsidence policy?

It is recommended that you should disclose previous issues in order for your insurer to gauge the risk your property poses. It's best to let them know that it happened, and when it happened. As the old saying goes, "if it's happened once, it can happen again" - it's good to apply this to insurance related risks also. If you're unsure, speak with a specialist who can advise you of your best options.

What's included within an insurance policy that covers subsidence?

At Safely Insured, we provide and tailor insurance policies for properties with subsidence. Some of the policy benefits on offer include: standard or accidental damage cover, world-wide personal belongings cover, and we can cater for properties which are owned by the occupier, holiday homes and second homes. Our quotation process is also easy and to the point.

What does the policy actually cover?

Subsidence, landslip, or heave issues within properties that have been underpinned or in an area that is prone to subsidence. It also covers properties that have been affected by any of the above issues within the last 25 years. A subsidence claim can be very expensive - it's best to have the right cover in place from the outset.

Do you think subsidence does or could potentially affect you? Visit our Subsidence Insurance page for further information.