Do you know what sounds terrifying? Not monsters attacking the city. Not ghosts haunting your presence. Not aliens invading earth. There is something out in the world that is far more likely to happen that can quickly destroy everything you love in a matter of seconds. We are talking about sink holes. This natural even can swallow your home whole and bury it within the earth. How scary is that? The professionals are Your Insurance Attorney is a property damage lawyer Miami. We know exactly what to do for the Miami Dade County.
What is this Natural Disaster?
How is a sinkhole formed? How does it happen? Essentially a sinkhole is depressions in the surface of the ground that is caused by sudden settlement or collapse of land. This is very common in many states. While the risk is low, when and if it ever happens, the results are devastating.
If you know anything about Florida, you know that the state sits above a gigantic aquifer. Because of this sinkholes are an increasingly deadly risk in Florida, due primarily to the region’s geology. The state is largely underlain by porous limestone, which can hold immense amounts of water in underground aquifers. As groundwater slowly flows through the limestone, it forms a landscape called karst, known for features like caves, springs, and sinkholes.
Moving water dissolves small amounts of rock and carries it away, which enlarges natural pores and cracks in the bedrock. Over time large cavities and caves form. When the land surface gives way to fill in the voids, a sinkhole occurs. No one knows for sure where or when a sinkhole can happen, but there are plenty of factors that make them more likely to develop, such as building in vulnerable areas and falling water tables.
What About Insurance for Sink Holes?
Dealing with sinkholes in the eyes of insurance can get a little tricky. Sinkhole coverage presents unique challenges when it comes to insurance coverage. When homeowners insurance policies are priced, the real estate value of the land is excluded. The property is insured for what it would cost to rebuild the home’s structure, without respect to the price of the land.
Therefore, most property insurance policies in the U.S. exclude damage related to the movement of the earth and those living in areas with high risk of earthquakes. Sinkholes, unlike earthquakes, are hard to predict, and difficult to investigate. They are also extremely costly to repair. Consult in a property damage lawyer Miami to help clear any stress.
Florida property insurers are also required to provide insurance for “catastrophic ground cover collapse” as part of the standard homeowner’s policy. This is for damage to the home that is severe enough to make a home uninhabitable. It is defined according to four criteria:
- The abrupt collapse of the ground cover.
- A depression in the ground cover clearly visible by seeing it.
- Structural damage to the covered building. This includes the foundation.
- The insured structure being condemned and ordered to be vacated by the governmental agency authorized by law to issue such an order for that structure.
Have Any Questions? Call Us.
We want to make dealing with sink holes and insurance easy for you. The situation is already a lot to handle. Why make it worse. Call our experts today. Your Insurance Attorney is here for you! We are the best property damage lawyer Miami.
