{
  "id": 6907840,
  "title": "‘We can see into the other room’: insurers face surge in subsidence claims",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/we-can-see-into-the-other-room-insurers-face-surge-in-subsidence",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-12T10:00:30.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Business",
    "slug": "guardian-business",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/sep/12/subsidence-uk-insurers-double-surge-claims-hot-summers"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "UK homeowners are experiencing a surge in subsidence claims due to record-hot summers. One resident in Stroud, Henry Biggs, reported a large crack running diagonally through their wall, with chunks of plaster falling off. The couple discovered cracks in their 1970s property in June 2025, a few months after purchasing it. They filed an insurance claim for subsidence which was accepted by Admiral in the spring. Monitoring devices were only recently installed, about a year after their initial claim. Homeowners are facing lengthy and costly repairs, with the average subsidence claim in the UK reaching £20,000 between April and June 2026. The British Geological Survey warns that 11% of UK homes could be at risk of subsidence by 2070, with millions already facing the issue. Older properties with shallow foundations and those built on clay-rich soils are more vulnerable. Insurers have reported a 140% increase in subsidence claims in August compared to last year, with Axa, Aviva, and Hastings experiencing record numbers. The cause of subsidence is often due to the drying and shrinking of the soil beneath houses, exacerbated by longer, hotter summers and shorter, wetter winters. Modern housing layouts and open-plan extensions can also increase the risk. Insurers warn of a \"double surge\" of claims as many from last year are still being processed. Homeowners may face significant repairs and potentially higher future premiums.",
  "summary": "Stressed UK homeowners tell of cracks opening up in the walls around them after two record-hot summers “We’ve got one wall with an absolutely huge diagonal crack, through which we can see through to the other room; you could easily put your fingers in it and chunks of plaster are falling off,” says Henry Biggs, 49, from Stroud in Gloucestershire. He and his partner started noticing cracks in…",
  "key_points": [
    "Record-hot summers cause surge in UK subsidence claims.",
    "11% of UK homes at risk by 2070, millions already affected.",
    "Insurers report 140% increase in August claims compared to last year."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}