If I have my home repaired for sinkhole damage, can I include the living expenses I incur while the repairs are being done in my sinkhole claim?

After an insurance company confirms a loss has occurred, the repairs to the property then follow. This phase of the sinkhole claim process is lengthy and wrought with obstacles to the insured. Primarily, an insured may have additional living expenses that are incurred due to temporarily vacating the residence during the repair work. Many of our clients cannot afford to continue to pay their monthly bills in addition to the costs of staying in a rental home or hotel during the completion of the repair work at their home.

A brief review of an insurance policy will identify whether such additional living expenses are provided, the limits of any such coverage, and how any such expenses will be reimbursed by the insurance company. These costs to the insured that are incidental to the repair work being performed are typically not paid by the insurance company until they are incurred (and not unless the insured demands payment for these covered expenses). In order to substantiate a sinkhole claim, it is important to save all receipts and other supporting documentation of any additional living expenses that may arise during the timeframe the insured is unable to reside in the home due to a covered sinkhole loss.

Read our tips on filling out a sinkhole claim.

Have a burning question you’d like to ask about sinkholes? Let us know.