Insurers across the UK are reporting a significant increase in subsidence claims, attributed to two consecutive record-hot summers. The average subsidence claim reached a record £20,000 between April and June this year, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), an increase of more than £2,000 compared to the same period last year. Insurers paid out £72 million for domestic subsidence claims during this time, up from £60 million a year earlier.
Homeowners like Henry Biggs from Stroud, Gloucestershire, have observed extensive damage, including large diagonal cracks in walls and sticking doors and windows. Mr. Biggs and his partner filed a claim in 2025, which was accepted, but monitoring devices were only recently fitted, approximately a year after their initial submission.
Hastings reported a 140% rise in subsidence claims in August compared to the previous August, with its 2026 claims up 30% year-on-year. Axa has described 2026 as a "surge year" for subsidence, while Aviva is reviewing its reserves and pricing models. The British Insurance Brokers’ Association has warned of a "double surge" in claims, as many from last year are still being processed.
Scientists indicate that older properties with shallow foundations and those built on clay-rich soils are more vulnerable. Areas identified as most at risk include London, Essex, Kent, and a stretch of land from Oxford to the Wash. The British Geological Survey projects that under its worst-case scenario, over 4.2 million UK homes could be at risk of subsidence by 2070.