Subsidence insurance will usually be covered in your buildings insurance. but if your home developes subsidence, you will need to  be aware of some of the pitfalls. 

 UK Buildings Insurance - Some Helpful Information When Dealing With Insurance Claims For Subsidence
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Trevor_Dace]Trevor Dace

Firstly, this is going to cost money. There will inevitably be a serious excess, in other words you will be asked to pay the first part of any claim. The majority of UK policies now impose a £1,000 excess but you can find one for less. It's best to have some savings put to one side!

Secondly, your claim could take months, if not years to finalize. There is a lengthy set of exclusions. Here is a typical list. If one or more of these apply, you might well be without any help from your insurer. No outside gates, terraces, paths, decks, drives etc. are covered if none of your main buildings or outbuildings are damaged. Subsidence as a result of coastal erosion.

Movement of solid floor slabs unless foundations beneath outside walls are also damaged by the same cause. Settling of newly erected buildings or newly made-up ground settling. On a happier note there are the extras that are included in standard cover. These exceptions provide some accidental damage cover with your standard policy. As owner of the property you are covered for any damage to underground cables and service pipes.

Glass and sanitary fittings. Again you are covered against accidental damage to your bathroom fixtures, built in ceramic hobs in your kitchen and all the fixed glass and glazing in your building. Beware, that there is very likely to be a clause later on into the policy that will clarify what you are allowed to claim for. Every item is treated as an individual item, not as part of a suite. Thus, if your wash basin is accidentally damaged, don't wait for the company to fork out for a full new bathroom suite!

Alternative Accommodation. This can be a very important benefit if it becomes dangerous or impossible to stay in your home. Your insurer will pay for alternative accommodation. This might be a nearby hotel or maybe the extra costs to friends and family if they can give you a roof over your head. At least one insurer will also pay the boarding costs for any pets if you have to be away from them. Cover might also offer either loss of rent, if you are a landlord, or payment of rent due. There is a limit, a sum insured which is normally around 20% of the total sum insured for your buildings cover.

Incidentally, if you sell your property, the purchaser can enjoy the benefits of the policy up to the completion date provided they have no policy of their own at the time.

WHAT WILL BE PAID - All good policies will offer 'reinstatement'. In other words they are offering 'new for old'. The House will be restored with new materials and if the whole structure is beyond economical repair, it will be completely restored using new materials and no contribution from you (except any excess). With some buildings, meeting new regulations might mean increased costs. Not a problem - but it only applies to the damaged part of the building. Demolition, removing debris, having the building shored up etc are all covered as are professional fees such as architects and surveyors, legal costs and fees for estimates, plans etc.

In all instances the insurance companies like to be in control of the situation so if you notice cracks in your home, report it to them immediately. Instructing your own surveyor could end up with them recommending that you prop up your house when it might not be required. You will end up in dispute with the insurance company.

There are countless issues that will arise during a claim involving subsidence. Because of the amount of time that these claims can take, things such as trying to change your insurer, trying to sell your home and so on are all fraught with anguish. It would take a book to clarify them all. One that is worth mentioning is that if you have moved your cover from one insurance company to another, the previous insurers might be called upon to contribute to your claim under the Association of British Insurers Domestic Subsidence Agreement. This is to prevent disputes between insurers as to which insurer pays for what. You should not be affected by any negotiation between the companies.

But what happens should an underground pipe leak and cause movement and thus subsidence? What insured peril should apply and what excess do you have to pay? It is in your interests to prove that the loss should fall under the underground services peril. This way you are not required to pay the imposed excess of a subsidence claim. It is all down to what insurers call the 'proximate cause'. You need to be able to show that the proximate cause of the damage is the leaking or broken pipe.

This article was written by Trevor Dace. He has many years of experience working as a claims adjuster with UK insurance companies. His website [http://www.instant-online-insurance.co.uk/]http://uk/home-insurance/]online home & contents insurancewww.instant-online-insurance.co.uk offers [http://www.instant-online-insurance.co.

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