Insurance claim and subsidence

fredy5

Hope someone can give some guidance??

Background
172 yr old mid terr house
Insured with same company for 3 yrs
Just had a builder in to quote for an extension - builder thinks we may have subsidence that needs sorting first

Problem
Reading through my claim form it appears that I have always ticked no to the question "have any other properties in the area been subject to subsidence?"
The reason is I was not aware of any problem, there are lots and lots of terraced houses around us and they look fine.
But!!! I have now found out that a neighbor in a detached house 4 doors down did have subsidence in the 1990s.

So my question is, will the insurance company expect me to have knocked on doors to find out about subsidence , or was my internet search for "subsidence xxxxx road, leeds" good enough" ? Am a bit worried, knowing how slippery some of them are

keystone

Builder "thinks" doesn't mean you have.

You answered the insurance company truthfully at the time.

Don't even think of ringing them and mentioning the "S" word until you 100% know that you have 100% got it. Down the road may not have had either but it suited someone a) to say they had and b) to take remedial work on the basis that they did.

This is one area where you have to be 100% certain of the truth.

Cheers

fredy5

But why can't I ask the insurance company to check whether it is subsidence?
If it is - I should be covered (I hope)
If it isn't - the ins company will have saved some money (and me my excess)

thanks

cyclonebri1

fredy5 wrote: »

But why can't I ask the insurance company to check whether it is subsidence?
If it is - I should be covered (I hope)
If it isn't - the ins company will have saved some money (and me my excess)

thanks

If only it worked that way:A:A:A
By simply mentioning the dreaded word you will be red starred on the insurers data base as high risk.

Consider maybe the house down the road had the same builder as you have now, if you get my drift.

Why does he think you have subsidence?, a little settlement in nearly 2 centuries is to be expected even castles crack


What is the issue?, is the whole house sloping? has it's back broken? has a corner fallen? etc etc

A house that age is likely to have brick or stone pier spread foundations rather than concrete, ie they are say on earth but the brick/stonework is much widened below ground level.

mart.vader

fredy5 wrote: »

Hope someone can give some guidance??

Reading through my claim form it appears that I have always ticked no to the question "have any other properties in the area been subject to subsidence?"
The reason is I was not aware of any problem, there are lots and lots of terraced houses around us and they look fine.

I was advised (I think, by a broker) that a qualification to these answers is always "as far as I know / to the best of my knowledge"

So in answer to the question "have any other properties in the area been subject to subsidence?" - the answer you gave truthfully was "No, (to the best of my knowledge)" You can't reasonably be expected to know, or find out the history of all the houses in the area.

If you knew about it, but kept quiet, or lied, that would give these very slippery insurance companies the excuse to deny your claim.

fredy5

I see, thanks all.

I will get my own surveyor then, and if he says it is subsidence, then I will call the insurance company, otherwise I will keep quiet.

Cheers.

fredy5

What if my house starts to 'drag' on next doors. Does that mean that I am liable for the possible repair work? Or would their insurance pay???

cyclonebri1

I'm pretty sure they stand, (or fall in this case) on their own.

IE, your insurance pays for your house and no one else's, theirs pay for that.

gas4you

Been through this nightmare myself a few years ago.

Insurance company insisted that it was already subsiding before they took on cover.

Saw a good solicitor and he said he would fight it, but he also had similar cases in court at that time, and each one would cost around £50k in court costs, so could we afford to pay that if we lost?

Simple answer for me was no, so I dropped it and moved. Took a paper loss just to get rid.

Tread very carefully.

fredy5

Decided to have subsidence underpinning done at our own expence (approx 2000) and not going thru ins as they can drag on things like this for years, plus my ordinary premium will presumably rocket.

Insurance, why not nationalise it?

TimBuckTeeth

You will still have to declare it to your insurance company or your insurance will be invalidated.