Possible home subsidence

HighamKneeDee

Hi, I was wondering if somebody could please answer a question for me. If I were to report to my home insurance company that I may have a case of subsidence, if it were proved to be a false alarm, would it affect all my future home insurance premiums? Or is it just if it proves to be subsidence and therefore a claim is made?
Thank you Dennis

antilles

If you suspected subsidence and told them, wouldn't they just ask you to confirm it anyway by getting the house inspected?

HighamKneeDee

antilles wrote: »

If you suspected subsidence and told them, wouldn't they just ask you to confirm it anyway by getting the house inspected?

Hi, Yes, I agree, but I thought I once read somewhere in this site that you should under no circumstances report a claim unless you are absolutely certain of subsidence otherwise it would be regretted at every future insurance renewal. Can anybody please comment on this? Thanking you.

macman

No, because if it isn't subsidence then there is no increased risk.
How about sharing why you think you may have subsidence?

HighamKneeDee

macman wrote: »

No, because if it isn't subsidence then there is no increased risk.
How about sharing why you think you may have subsidence?

Okay, thanking you. Here goes with my thoughts of subsidence. Three bedroom detached house. Cracks around some windows and some internal load bearing walls. Kitchen floor is sloping down to the dining area, a length of about 20 feet. It has become gradually worse over the past few months. Front door not closing with ease like it used to but instead having to force it closed. Lots of ceilings with hairline cracks, again most becoming apparent over the past few months, many running north/south and east/west. Crack on external wall. Thank you.

macman

When you say 'cracks' do you just mean hairline cracks in the plaster? These are rarely more than cosmetic, uusally worse when the house is drier or the heating has been turned up higher But if the cracks are in the underlying masonry, that does indicate something more serious.
Front door may just have swollen in the wet winter weather, should be easy enough to check that out.

iamcornholio

Subsidence is a specific event, causing specific and tell-tale types of cracking to walls.

Buildings will move naturally, which may cause cracking, or cracks may develop for many other reasons, and a crack does not in itself indicate subsidence

The cause of cracking is not possible from a text description, and will need inspection of the cracks in context of their location at the property, and taking account of site conditions