The existence of and repair to an adjacent home for sinkhole damage is one of the more the dimensional issues when it comes to sinkhole claims. This is because there are two issues in this question, one of which relates to your own sinkhole insurance policy, and the other, which arise from your neighbor’s sinkhole insurance policy.
Jul
16
2010
16
2010
Jul
14
2010
14
2010
Tampa, Florida Sinkhole Swallows Car
In what is making national headlines, a 20 foot cover collapse sinkhole has opened up at the Bordeaux Condos community in Tampa, off 50th Street near University of South Florida. The hole initially dragged a parked vehicle down but now has nearly swallowed it hole as the sinkhole continues to grow to an estimated 25 feet deep.
Jul
9
2010
9
2010
Sinkholes and Neighborhood Sinkhole Activity
If you are able to obtain a copy of the engineering reports and provide them to the insurance company, this would be wise. If you are not able to get a copy of the previous reports, but do know the addresses, you may want to at least provide this to the company. As always, put this information in writing, and present it in a constructive manner to the insurance company.
Jul
7
2010
7
2010
Sinkholes and Heavy Summer Rain
Additionally, water percolating through soil completely alters the characteristics of the soil. Although some soil material is compacted, the addition of water acts to “reorient†or change the density of the material. This usually happens only in the shallow soil, as the deeper material is still under the pressure of the soil above it. In a lot of ways, soil is acting not as a solid material but as a dynamic material reacting to the climate changes. When those changes are dramatic during heavy summer rains, more changes are often observed in the homes.
Jun
30
2010
30
2010
Florida Sinkhole Location Maps
I am aware that at least one home in our neighborhood has had a confirmed sinkhole as the cause of the damage. Is there a relationship between the presence of sinkhole activity nearby and the potential cause of the damage to my home? There is a Florida sinkhole map, which is published by the State [...]
Jun
25
2010
25
2010
Jun
23
2010
23
2010
How Does Sinkhole Damage Differ from Hurricane Storm Damage?
Sinkhole damage usually appears in a “stair step†pattern, as opposed to the diagonal but straight damage lines caused by storms. The stair step damage of sinkholes so tends to follow the mortar joints of the walls, while storm damage tends to ignore these boundaries and can even caused damage to the bricks and mortar themselves.
Jun
21
2010
21
2010
Insurance Companies Required to Test for Sinkholes
The problem with this argument from a homeowner’s perspective is that once they deny the claim due to the damage theory, what can the homeowner do? Now a homeowner is forced to either hire their own engineering firm (at a cost of thousands of dollars) or hire an attorney. What the insurance companies often don’t tell their insureds is that if the insured requests it, the insurance must come out and complete the testing.
Jun
16
2010
16
2010
Testing for Presence of Sinkholes Prior to Purchasing Property
The State of Florida also does not enforce any concrete rules requiring builders to test for sinkhole activity prior to new construction. The best indicators to look for as a purchaser are visible cracks to the home. Take a good look and if none are visible, the concern should be low. You may also want to check the property appraiser’s website to see if any neighboring homes have had confirmed sinkhole claims although this may be a tedious project.
Jun
7
2010
7
2010
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