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This year’s hot weather has resulted in the highest level of insurance claims for subsidence since the record-breaking heatwaves of 2003 and 2006.
That’s according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), which registered claims worth a total of £64m from 10,000 households to deal with subsidence in just three months from July to September this year.
The figures represented the biggest quarter-on-quarter increase on record, according to the ABI, which registered 2,500 claims worth £14m in the preceding quarter (April to June).
The hot weather saw some UK regions experience the driest months on record, particularly in the South East, where many buildings sit on clay soil, which is especially prone to subsidence.
The ABI’s senior policy adviser for property, Laura Hughes, said: “Thousands of people across the UK are now suffering because we experienced such an unprecedented period of dryness this summer. Insurers understand that this is a stressful time for affected homeowners and are providing widespread support to help with repairs.”
