Homeowners receive record £219 million in subsidence insurance after hot, dry summer of 2022
Homeowners will receive a £219 million payout from their insurers for subsidence claims made last year.
Insurers are expected to pay out the highest amount since 2006, after the hot, dry summer of 2022 left thousands of homes affected by subsidence problems.
Insurers received 18,000 new claims in the second half of 2022, according to figures.
Baked: Insurers are expected to pay out £219 million in subsidence claims, the highest amount since 2006
The scorching temperatures, which peaked at 40.3°C (104.5°F) in July, led to a new subsidence claim about every 15 minutes between July and December, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI).
Subsidence occurs when the ground under a building sinks and the foundation of the building is pulled down with it.
It can depress up to 20 percent of a home’s value, with lenders often refusing to lend money for affected homes until the problem is resolved.
Giveaways include large cracks in walls and diagonal cracks around window and door frames.
The average subsidence claim last year was £9,600, the ABI says.
l.purkess@dailymail.co.uk