Has anyone claimed on buildings insurance for subsidence? What happens to your premiums?

ForTheCrack · 2025-08-30T13:45:54+00:00

Came home from a week away and saw that a hairline crack had gotten a lot bigger - it's the outside corner of a ground-floor room with nothing above it luckily, which was extended some years ago before we moved in. The crack is on the inside and outside with some other related cracks. It is possible that it is subsidence - we will get a structural engineer to have a look, but it's looking like that's the case. We are a detached house and access should at least be easy as it's in the back garden. If it is and we need structural work, does anyone know how much our insurance premiums are likely to increase? We would have to pay around £1k for subsidence excess, as well as the standard excess of £400. My policy is around £300 per year (for buildings and contents) and I'm worried that if we claim, insurers will see the word 'subsidence' and not want to insure us and it'll be incredibly costly. The house has been here for hundreds of years with this bit being extended fairly recently, so I'm not too worried about the rest of the house which is fairly solid! Any help /advice appreciated as I'm anxious this could wipe out our savings - but then that's what insurance is for, surely...!!? (I've never claimed on any buildings/contents insurance before).

YanTanTetheraPetheraBumfitt · 30/08/2025 14:50

Not for subsidence but I had a circa 50k claim following a fire and my quotes for insurance a few months later went up from £550 a year to £1500 a year - that was the cheapest quote on CompareTheMarket.

The renewal actually came through at £880 which all things considered I was grateful for.

Original poster

ForTheCrack · 30/08/2025 15:01

Ouch - I'm sorry, bet that was very stressful. Hopefully the renewal will continue to decrease.

I guess we'll know a bit more about potential costs involved once a SE visits.

My logic is that surely if the subsidence is addressed asap then we're in a better position than before... not sure that is how insurance companies work, though!

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Beachtastic · 30/08/2025 15:53

I've never made an insurance claim for this, OP, so can't answer your question, but it will be interesting to see what the SE makes of it. With any luck, it's just resulted from the unusually dry weather this summer. 🤞🏻

Original poster

ForTheCrack · 30/08/2025 16:08

Beachtastic · 30/08/2025 15:53

I've never made an insurance claim for this, OP, so can't answer your question, but it will be interesting to see what the SE makes of it. With any luck, it's just resulted from the unusually dry weather this summer. 🤞🏻

Yes weirdly when we googled, that was one of the potential explanations! Clay soil contracting because it's so dry...?

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StillSittingInACornerIHaunt · 30/08/2025 16:12

We are on heavy clay and have come home from holidays to some new quite big cracks at the front of the house, (we're also on a hill).
So if it's caused by the very dry weather, does that mean it's not subsidence? I'm a bit scared to call in a SE because I sort of don't want to know... But I will do so 😬

Original poster

ForTheCrack · 30/08/2025 16:21

StillSittingInACornerIHaunt · 30/08/2025 16:12

We are on heavy clay and have come home from holidays to some new quite big cracks at the front of the house, (we're also on a hill).
So if it's caused by the very dry weather, does that mean it's not subsidence? I'm a bit scared to call in a SE because I sort of don't want to know... But I will do so 😬

Ah weird!
Yes, my sentiments exactly, but in my experience stressing over it is worse when you don't know what's going on!

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Beachtastic · 30/08/2025 16:25

StillSittingInACornerIHaunt · 30/08/2025 16:12

We are on heavy clay and have come home from holidays to some new quite big cracks at the front of the house, (we're also on a hill).
So if it's caused by the very dry weather, does that mean it's not subsidence? I'm a bit scared to call in a SE because I sort of don't want to know... But I will do so 😬

D'oh, I think you are right! Sorry! the only subsidence I've ever dealt with was structural (i.e. the house itself collapsing, not the ground beneath it). I was sort of thinking along the lines of: if it's the ground that has shrunk, it might sort of swell back to its original size with a bit of rain at this time of year... but of course it might not restore everything to the way it was. There must be a lot of factors involved. I think the safest bet is to take no notice of anything I've said so far, as I have no idea what I'm talking about 😞😕 but good luck with it, both of you! 🌞

Whyherewego · 30/08/2025 16:28

My house has history of movement from before I bought it. Drain repairs carried out and I have an independent report from a surveyor.
I have to get specialist insurance, compare the market and the like won't cover it. My excess on subsidence claims is high £5k I think. The insurance itself isn't too high though but the report post works is key.

LighthouseTeaCup · 30/08/2025 18:07

Whyherewego · 30/08/2025 16:28

My house has history of movement from before I bought it. Drain repairs carried out and I have an independent report from a surveyor.
I have to get specialist insurance, compare the market and the like won't cover it. My excess on subsidence claims is high £5k I think. The insurance itself isn't too high though but the report post works is key.

Would you mind sharing where you look to find your insurance? Which company are you with?

OP
We had subsidence caused by a poplar tree in a neighbour's garden. Claimed on insurance, tree cut down (legal dispute about the tree we needed insurance company to fight on our behalf), house fixed, report issued. Premiums increased a bit, but not horrifically.

But turns out the report is no longer sufficient for most insurance companies and we have a very hard time each renual

EducatingArti · 30/08/2025 18:14

It is caused clay shrinkage subsidence and is caused by clay soils shrinking in "event years" where it is very dry, particularly where there are large and thirsty trees like willow and poplar nearby.

sesquipedalian · 30/08/2025 18:31

Yes, I claimed for subsidence, and our insurance went up considerably, to over £1,000 a year. At the time, we were then stuck with our insurers for a while - a lot of companies won’t touch you for ten years after a subsidence claim. But we did come out the other side and our house insurance is now much more reasonable. There are companies that specialise in “difficult to insure” properties. Mine is an Edwardian house, and the bay had to be underpinned. Our insurance is now about £250 a year. You need to tell your insurers who’ll send round a surveyor - it might not be subsidence. They put in pins each side of the crack and measured them to see if there was movement - that takes at least six months (more like a year for us).

Whyherewego · 30/08/2025 19:21

LighthouseTeaCup · 30/08/2025 18:07

Would you mind sharing where you look to find your insurance? Which company are you with?

OP
We had subsidence caused by a poplar tree in a neighbour's garden. Claimed on insurance, tree cut down (legal dispute about the tree we needed insurance company to fight on our behalf), house fixed, report issued. Premiums increased a bit, but not horrifically.

But turns out the report is no longer sufficient for most insurance companies and we have a very hard time each renual

Show quote history

I use a broker GSI Insurance limited. I agree, it's not always easy to find insurance and some years they've had to work a bit harder!
It's kind of mad really given the works have been undertaken so frankly I am less of a risk than my neighbours!

Original poster

ForTheCrack · 30/08/2025 20:35

Thanks everyone - really useful.
FWIW - a relative has some professional experience in this and having seen the photos reckons it's the dry soil and it shouldn't move any more. TBH although the cracks look nasty as they are dark and noticeable they aren't more than about 3mm. He has recommended to put pins in the cracks as sesquipedalian mentioned!

Hmm sounds like if there is an issue, insurance could be a problem in future. Good to know in theory they look at a report after any investigation/works but yes I worry they go by tick boxes so many won't bother looking at the risk and just won't insure, or will charge a fortune.

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Original poster

ForTheCrack · 30/08/2025 20:37

sesquipedalian · 30/08/2025 18:31

Yes, I claimed for subsidence, and our insurance went up considerably, to over £1,000 a year. At the time, we were then stuck with our insurers for a while - a lot of companies won’t touch you for ten years after a subsidence claim. But we did come out the other side and our house insurance is now much more reasonable. There are companies that specialise in “difficult to insure” properties. Mine is an Edwardian house, and the bay had to be underpinned. Our insurance is now about £250 a year. You need to tell your insurers who’ll send round a surveyor - it might not be subsidence. They put in pins each side of the crack and measured them to see if there was movement - that takes at least six months (more like a year for us).

Thanks again - so do you think it would be better for the insurers to send a SE/Surveyor round, or for us to pay for one ourselves and decide what to do?

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Whyherewego · 30/08/2025 20:41

ForTheCrack · 30/08/2025 20:37

Thanks again - so do you think it would be better for the insurers to send a SE/Surveyor round, or for us to pay for one ourselves and decide what to do?

Show quote history

Doesn't really matter as either way you need to inform the insurers. Sorry

purpleme12 · 30/08/2025 20:48

If you think it might not be subsidence, then in my opinion, it might be beneficial to get a structural engineers report/get a professional out to look at it and decide yourself, then if it is subsidence you can claim. If it isn't then it won't go down as subsidence so all ok. But that's just my opinion.

With regards to the question about premiums being affected, it is impossible to say how much they will be affected honestly. Depends on so many factors.

sesquipedalian · 30/08/2025 21:55

@ ForTheCrack -
I’d get the insurers - if it’s subsidence, you’ll have to tell them anyway.