The summer’s extreme heat is to blame for a surge of subsidence claims in more drought-prone parts of the country

Loss adjusting firm Sedgwick anticipates UK subsidence claims will increase between 300% – 400% at its peak this August, comparative to or potentially exceeding the last surge event in 2018.

High risk areas such as the south east and North London are experiencing high claim volumes but in contrast to 2018, claim numbers further North are lower. 

James Preston, technical director at Sedgwick said: “Last week the MORECS hit its maximum level with 308 being recorded within square 161 and Sedgwick experienced an uplift of between 400% - 500% above the base line in new claim volumes, confirming, if we didn’t already know, that ’surge’ conditions are now fully upon us.

”The message to us all should be to think about the wider issue. Climate change is not something I would claim to be an expert in by any stretch, however the frequent events of extreme weather I feel cannot be ignored and we need to play our part, whether that be utilising technology to reduce traffic flow or invest and implement alternative mitigation options, anything that helps reduce our CO2 output, is the way forward.”