Against the background of one of the driest springs for over 100 years¹ and insurers’ receiving large claim amounts for subsidence in the UK each year, Severn Trent Searches has introduced a groundbreaking Subsidence Search which gives an indication of subsidence risk for any given residential property.

Subsidence. A significant risk.

As one of the largest ground stability risks in the UK, subsidence has always been a significant issue for home owners, as well as insurance companies. In fact, the UK is the only country in the world which insures for subsidence and currently receives claims of some £175m per annum².

Subsidence occurs when there is a loss of support of the ground below a property’s foundations commonly caused by volumetric changes in the sub-soil, such as shrinkage, compaction or the washing away of loose materials. Trees are a particular problem, depending on the type of tree / vegetation and the height and distance away from a building.  Trees are the cause of seven out of ten incidents of subsidence³.

Now, following one of the driest springs for over 100 years¹, insurers are bracing themselves for an avalanche of claims.  As reported in The Daily Telegraph (18 June 2011), leading insurers claim there is an 85% chance of a surge in subsidence claims this year and the British Insurance Brokers Association has already recorded a fivefold increase in the number of calls about subsidence.

Severn Trent Searches. Filling the gap.

Severn Trent Searches are working together with Property Assure, in partnership with Landmark Information Group, to launch a groundbreaking subsidence search. The search is a risk screening report which gives an indication of subsidence risk for any given residential property.

The report is generated from a database of actual UK subsidence incidents (plus detailed soil and drainage data).  Using full postcode matching the resulting report will evaluate the risk for a particular property against the average insurance claim profile.

The published certification then rates the risk of subsidence as:

• Low – Fewer cases of clay shrinkage or drainage related subsidence is predicted in this area compared to the average number for the UK as a whole.
• Medium – Predicted risk is over 1 and up to 2 times the average for the UK for clay shrinkage or drainage related subsidence.
• High – Predicted risk is over 2 and up to 4 times the average for the UK for clay shrinkage or drainage related subsidence.
• Very High – Predicted risk is over 4 times the average for the UK for clay shrinkage or draining related subsidence.

“This report offers invaluable insight for prospective home owners and conveyancing professionals” explains Owen Davies, Business Development Manager at Severn Trent Searches. “At a cost of only £15 + VAT per search, we’re confident that it will prove a popular addition to our wide range of searches.”

More details are available online at: www.severntrentsearches.com/subsidencesearch.aspx or by calling 0115 971 3550.

Sources: ¹Met Office (1 June 2011), ²Association of British Insurers (ABI) figures for 2009. ³ The Daily Telegraph (18 June 2011).