House/contents insurance and coal mining subsidence

Esdale

Back in the 90s building surveyors were cold calling in my village in South Yorkshire to offer their services in making claims on The Coal Authority for alleged subsidence damage to homes. I, like many on my street, were successful in making a claim for several thousand pounds worth of work paid for by the The Coal Authority. The work was done and this must have been the same for many homes in my village and even more in any town/village in the Sheffield area that had a coal mine eg Treeton, Dinnington, Beighton etc etc. Very many!

Fast forward to the present day and faced with ever increasing house and contents insurance (£500 on a small 3 bed semi) I tried to get a quote from an alternative insurer. When asked the question 'Have you EVER had subsidence on the house' obviously the answer is yes at which point they decline to quote so I am stuck with high and increasing premiums.

The subsidence damage in 1995 was remedied and any further damage would be covered by The Coal Authority ie the government (I have a letter) so the insurance company have no risk whatsoever. So why they get spooked by this, even for contents insurance, is a mystery.

Is there anyone out there in the MSE community that has any experience of this and managed to find an acceptable explanation or even solution to the stigma of past coal mining subsidence?

*Scarlett

You will normally be able to get contents insurance at a normal rate - there may be endorsements as regards to subsidence claims eg no alternative accomodation.

With the buildings you might need to look at a specialist insurer

http://www.homeprotect.co.uk/property-condition/subsidence-insurance

http://www.adrianflux.co.uk/subsidence/

Some mainstream companies have a time limit on the period that they are concerned about but it's usually at least 10 - 25 years so you are not quite there yet.. But they may consider cover - they may require that the property has been fully underpinned due to the previous subsidence.

Maybe try to get a separate contents quote - you are not obliged to have both with the same company.