What is Subsidence, & How it Affects Insurance Premiums?

Subsidence is the ground under a building moving downwards and is a particular problem.

Subsidence is the ground under a building moving downwards and is a particular problem when the movement is uneven beneath the foundations.

Lots of factors can cause subsidence on their own or in combination with each other, like:

• Clay subsoil is a problem, because as water evaporates, the clay shrinks and cracks. Clay is weaker when dry.
• Trees and shrubs suck up moisture from soil causing them to contract and crack – this can be a real problem if the soil is clay. Droughts can make the problem worse as vegetation extends roots to find moisture.
• Damaged drains or water pipes can wash soil beneath foundations away.

Building over or close to mine workings can be a factor in subsidence, but this is less common.

Spotting subsidence

Cracks in the walls of your property are the first indication of subsidence – but not all cracks.

Over time, house move slightly as they dry out and settle. Small cracks are nothing to worry about and are common in many homes.

The subsidence giveaway is diagonal cracks that appear in brick and plaster around doors and windows. If you notice these after a prolonged dry spell, it’s worth investigating further to make sure your property is not affected by subsidence.

You can tell subsidence cracks from settlement cracks because they are wider at the top- usually large enough to slot a 10p coin in to. Sticking doors and windows are also an early pointer to subsidence.

Reducing the risk

Don’t plant trees and shrubs too close to your home. The roots can disturb drains and take the moisture out of the soil supporting the foundations.

If you have trees or shrubs near your house, then ensure they are pruned regularly. Also check you gutters and drains regularly to make sure leaves do not block them.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) publishes a table suggesting how close certain varieties of trees and bushes should be planted to houses to avoid subsidence:

Safe Distance	Type of Tree	Actual Safe Distance
40M	Willow	40 Metres
35M	Poplar	35 Metres
30M	Oak, Elm	30 Metres
25M	Horse Chestnut	23 Metres
	Plane	22 Metres
	Ash	21 Metres
	Cypress, Lime, maple	20 Metres
	Sycamore	17 Metres
	Beech	15 Metres
	Hawthorn	12 Metres
	Cherry, plum, Rowan	11 Metres
10M	Apple, Pear, Birch	10 Metres
	Laburnum	9 Metres
	Pine	8 Metres
	Spruce	7 Metres
	Holly, Laurel, magnolia, Yew	5 Metres

If you think your property is affected by subsidence talk to your insurance company. Damage to your home is normally covered by your buildings insurance, but damage to walls, gates, fences or driveways around your home may fall outside the cover unless they are damaged at the same time as your home.

How subsidence affects buildings insurance costs

Most insurance companies have a compulsory excess of £1,000 for subsidence claims.

If they can prove you have contributed to the problem by failing to maintain your property or by not dealing with trees and shrubs planted too close to your home, they may void your policy.

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