Heatwave leads to surge in housing subsidence claims across southern England
Insurance companies are experiencing a surge in subsidence claims after the recent hot weather caused cracks to appear in homes across London and the south-east, in particular, drawing comparisons with 2018, when more than 20,000 properties were affected.
Loss adjuster Sedgwick on Monday registered a surge event, meaning that subsidence claims it received from insurers were for two weeks more than 200 per cent above normal levels. Heatwaves in recent weeks have sucked the moisture out of clay soils, unsettling houses.
Sedgwick expects claims to reach 400 per cent above ordinary levels in the next few weeks.
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This story originally appeared on: Financial Times - Author:Ian Smith
