Subsidence damage can seriously impact the structural integrity of your property, and dealing with insurance claims for such damage can be complex and daunting.
Subsidence Claims | Ireland-wide
Subsidence Damage Claims
Suffered subsidence? You don't have to take the insurer's first offer. We document the loss, prepare the claim, negotiate the settlement, and only get paid when you do.
Established 1988 Central Bank regulated, Cert C41330 No win, no fee
- 01 We meet Free site visit, often the same day for emergencies.
- 02 We document Every affected room, item and structural detail recorded.
- 03 We negotiate We handle every conversation with the insurer's loss adjuster.
- 04 You're settled Maximum entitlement, full reinstatement, peace of mind.
35+
Years in business since 1988
26
Irish counties served
156+
subsidence claims settled
100%
No win, no fee guarantee
Our Loss Assessors specialize in managing subsidence damage claims with precision and professionalism.
We bring a deep understanding of the intricacies involved in these types of claims, ensuring that every aspect of the damage is meticulously assessed.
Our experienced team provides comprehensive support, from conducting detailed property evaluations to preparing and presenting your claim to the insurance company. We advocate strongly on your behalf, aiming to secure the best possible outcome under your insurance policy.
With our guidance, you can navigate the subsidence damage claim process with confidence, knowing that your case is in expert hands.
What is subsidence?
Subsidence damage claims can be difficult to deal with on your own. Subsidence is the downward movement in the supporting structure of the property, its walls and foundations.
Even slight sagging underneath the property can cause small warning signs to appear above ground. The earth underneath the property may have slightly given way because of the makeup of the soil or it could be due to underground water activity from drains or streams or leaking water pipes.
Additionally, trees with roots too close to the foundation may be leeching moisture from clay soils around the foundation, causing the earth to shrink and become unstable. The most obvious indicators of subsidence are usually the following:
- Cracks in the brickwork more than 3mm wide
- Discreet cracks to plaster walls inside the property 1mm wide or more that may get wider over time
- Doors, cabinets or windows sticking for no obvious reason
- Floors lifting or popping off
Subsidence claims can be notoriously difficult to negotiate and deal with and require a skilled professional in order to succeed. In order to determine if you have a legitimate claim under your policy, it will be necessary to show the cause and source of any damage.
This requires specialist knowledge and investigation and it is often prudent and necessary to obtain an Engineer report to prove if there is in fact a claim to be made. An engineer will also be required to specify any remedial works which could involve some underpinning of the foundations.
Helping you to a Successful Subsidence Damage Claim
Proving a subsidence house insurance claim can be a slow and arduous process. Your insurers will usually want to appoint their own engineer to investigate and possibly challenge the assertion that there has been subsidence in order to possibly avoid any liability that they may have. Hence, it is prudent to have someone working on your behalf who will fight your corner and prove that you do in fact have a subsidence damage claim.
N.J. Carroll & Associates Loss Assessors can offer you the professional advice you need and ensure you receive a fair and adequate settlement. Do not hesitate to contact us and one of our experienced Loss Assessors and claims handlers will discuss any issues you have regarding your subsidence damage claim.
The Central Bank of Ireland regulates N.J. Carroll & Associates Ltd. Our Financial Regulator Certificate number is C41330. Niall Carroll is a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. We are also a member of the Irish Claims Consultants Association.
Related Insights from the Claimsroom
Why a specialist matters
What you get with a Subsidence loss assessor
Immediate damage control
Same-day site visit. Make-safe and emergency repairs arranged. Claim opened before the insurer's adjuster lands.
Clear, ongoing updates
Every conversation logged. Every offer presented to you in writing. You make every decision; we do the negotiation.
Maximum settlement secured
Detailed schedule, evidenced and presented. We push until the insurer pays the full entitlement, not the easy figure.
Cover heads we claim
You are entitled to more than you think
Most home and commercial policies include cover heads policyholders never claim, simply because nobody told them. We read the policy line by line so nothing is left on the table.
Buildings reinstatement
Full structural repair to original specification, not depreciated "indemnity" value.
Contents
Furniture, appliances, soft furnishings, replaced new-for-old where the policy permits.
Alternative accommodation
If your home is uninhabitable, the insurer pays for somewhere to stay until reinstatement is complete.
Professional fees
Surveyors, architects and structural engineers when remedial work needs their input.
Debris removal
Make-safe, emergency boarding-up and full clearance of damaged materials.
Loss of metered services
Water, gas and electricity charged through during the claim period.
Insurers
We know how every Irish insurer works
Three decades of claims means we've handled every major Irish insurer's policy wording, claim process, and adjuster panel. We know what each insurer settles easily and where each one fights.
- Aviva
- AIG
- Allianz
- AXA
- FBD
- RSA
- Zurich
- Irish Life
- Liberty
Recent settlements
Stories of successful subsidence claims we've settled
Case Study
Subsidence claim resolved in Laois
Clay shrinkage during a prolonged dry summer was identified as the trigger, and the bay window had separated from the main wall…
Read storyCase Study
Subsidence claim resolved in Carlow
A leaking drain run had been washing fines from beneath the foundations over time, and the bay window had separated from the…
Read storyCase Study
Subsidence claim resolved in Meath
Mature trees too close to the foundations had been drawing moisture from the soil for years, and the rear extension dropped by…
Read story
Frequently asked
Common subsidence claim questions
Subsidence claims feel slow and stressful. How long does it actually take?
Subsidence is the slowest claim type in Irish home insurance. There's a monitoring period (often 6-12 months), a structural engineer's report, an investigation into cause (clay shrinkage, drainage, tree roots), and only then a remedial scheme. We project-manage the whole sequence so it doesn't drift, while securing interim payments where the policy allows.
Will my premium go up if I make a claim?
Some claims trigger a premium increase, some don't, and accidental-damage claims behave very differently from theft or subsidence claims. We'll advise on the wider implications BEFORE you decide to claim, not just push every loss through.
Is the loss adjuster the insurer sent on my side?
No. The loss adjuster works for the insurance company, their job is to validate the claim and contain its cost. Your loss assessor (us) works only for you, the policyholder. They are not the same role.
How much do you cost? When do I pay?
No win, no fee. Our fee is a percentage of the additional settlement we secure above the insurer's opening offer, agreed in writing up front. If we cannot improve on what the insurer would have paid you anyway, you owe nothing.
Can you visit me anywhere in Ireland?
Yes. Our office is in Dublin 6W and we serve every Irish county. Same-day site visits are routine for emergencies; standard non-emergency visits within 48 hours.
I've already made my claim and the insurer has offered me a settlement. Is it too late?
Not at all. We can step in at any stage of a claim, even after an offer has been made, and frequently improve the settlement. Don't accept the offer until you've spoken to us, signing accepts the figure as final.
Brief us on your subsidence claim
Don't take the insurer's first offer on subsidence
Tell us what happened. Free advice, no obligation, response within the hour during business hours.
Suffered subsidence? Don't take the insurer's first offer.
Talk to us before you talk to your insurer. Free, no-obligation advice. We typically reply within the hour.