Subsidence and your home insurance.

Subsidence is when the ground beneath your home starts sinking. It means the building’s become unstable. Cracks could start to appear. And your home might not be safe.

Subsidence is a serious issue for homeowners. It can cause structural damage to your home and mean costly repairs. And it can cause the value of your property to drop dramatically as well.

You might be wondering, does home insurance cover subsidence? Well, it depends on your policy. Just make sure you’ve got the right buildings insurance. And if you do some simple checks, along with maintenance to your property, it can make a big difference.

Check things regularly. If you spot something, act quickly. That way, you can help to prevent bigger problems and make sure you’re covered if something goes wrong.

Subsidence usually happens when the ground becomes very dry and starts to shrink. It can be caused by a number of things. Including:

Trees and shrubs: the roots of trees and shrubs can cause problems if they dry out the soil too much. Especially if they’re planted too close to your house.

Leaking drains or water mains: if the ground becomes too soft from water, it might not be strong enough to support your home.

Clay soil: this kind of soil shrinks and cracks during hot, dry weather. If it doesn't recover, the ground around your home can start to move.

Mining: homes built on old coal mines could be prone to subsidence if the material used to fill in the mine collapses beneath them.

After the summer heatwave this year, one of our Home Insurance customers got in touch to ask if hot weather can cause subsidence.

Our experts at Tesco Underwriting said:

“A long spell of hot and dry weather can dry out clay-rich soil, causing it to shrink. If your home’s built on this type of ground, the movement of the soil can lead to the foundations of your house shifting. That’s what’s known as subsidence.”

Standard home insurance policies usually cover damage to your home caused by subsidence. But there might be some exclusions you need to be aware of.

As a rule, it’s always best if you spot the signs early - and let your insurer know if it’s happening to you.

With Tesco Home Insurance, we’ll cover your home for:

A heave is when the ground beneath your house moves upwards.

A landslip - or landslide - is when the ground beneath your house slips down a slope, and your house slides with it.

For full details of our Buildings cover, please see the policy documents.

Here’s what to look out for, and how to stay ahead of potential problems.

Keep an eye out for any new or widening cracks. Especially:

These could be signs that the ground beneath your home is shifting.

If doors or windows start to stick, jam, or won’t close properly anymore, it might not just be age or humidity causing it. It could be movement in the structure of your home.

Large trees or shrubs close to your home can draw moisture from the ground. Especially in clay-rich soil. This can make the ground shrink and cause subsidence.

Keep trees pruned. And take professional advice if they’re very close to your foundations.

If your floors feel uneven, or your furniture leans to one side, you might need to investigate further. It could be a sign that part of your home is settling more than the rest.

Leaking drains or pipes can wash away soil beneath your home, weakening the ground.

Keep an eye out for:

If you’re not sure about something, or you spot any warning signs, it’s worth getting a structural survey done. A professional can check if you’ve got subsidence and advise you how to fix it.

Make sure you have buildings insurance or combined buildings and contents insurance in case something goes wrong. And always check the policy documents to see exactly what you’re covered for.

If you have any questions about your cover, or need to make a claim, we’re here to help.

Tesco Home Insurance is arranged and administered by Tesco Insurance and is underwritten by Tesco Underwriting Ltd.

You'll find complete details of the cover, monetary limits, exclusions, excesses and terms in our policy documents.