Sinkhole insurance provided by Strickler Insurance.

Sinkholes are actually quite common in Pennsylvania and the Northeast. While they might not be massive holes that get reported on in the news or newspaper, sinkholes can damage your property, ruin your driveway or in the worse case they can shift the foundation of your home leading to costly repairs. 

Doesn’t my homeowners’ insurance policy protect me from these damages? Unfortunately, sinkhole damage is not typically covered. Knowing your area and how common sinkholes are can help you decide whether you need sinkhole insurance or not.

How Does Sinkhole Insurance Work With My Homeowner’s Policy?

Sinkhole insurance is similar to flood insurance. It is able to fill gaps in your home insurance policy and ensure that your coverage is protected from an even wider range of risks. Where your sinkhole insurance coverage ends, your home insurance picks back up and vice versa. Knowing what your home insurance covers will also help you decide which type of sinkhole insurance you need. Certain states have sinkhole insurance integrated into their home insurance but it might only cover small sinkholes, or it may only cover massive sinkholes.

Knowing your policy and state’s policies will help you decide which sinkhole insurance coverage is the best. At Strickler Insurance we will inform you of your coverage and what is the best coverage to fill the gaps in your insurance.

How Likely Is Your Home To Experience Sinkhole Damage?

Just like all insurance, it depends where you live. For Pennsylvania, and many other states, you can find interactive sinkhole maps that show where large ones have appeared and where likely areas for sinkholes to appear are. See how likely you are to experience a sinkhole on your property.

Are Sinkholes Common In Pennsylvania?

Sinkholes are actually quite common in PA. However, due to the “karst terrain” areas throughout the state, there is the opportunity for many sinkholes to appear in Pennsylvania. Within Lebanon county specifically, there are a few regions that are in danger of sinkholes on a regular basis.

Palmyra is exceptionally susceptible to sinkholes due to the makeup of the ground under the homes. Therefore, if you live in or within 30 minutes of Palmyra, you should definitely have sinkhole insurance to protect your home and property.

What Causes Sinkholes To Form?

The “kast terrain” area mentioned above is essentially an area of ground where the rocks and soil below can easily be dissolved by rainwater. For instance, salt beds, limestone, or carbonate rock are all types of ground rock that can dissolve easily with water erosion. Unfortunately, this type of rock or soil, combined with the increased amount of flooding, has led to more and more sinkholes appearing in PA.

What Is The Actual Cost Of Repairing A Sink Hole

The larger the sinkhole, the larger the cost. If a sinkhole occurs in your driveway, the cost isn’t just repaving the driveway, it is repairing any damaged vehicles, filling the hole, and then repaving the driveway. And this is one of the least expensive sinkhole situations. Having sinkhole insurance will protect you from large costs in repairs.

Why Most People Get Sinkhole Insurance

Besides being in an area where sinkholes are common, certain people we work with recognize that sinkhole insurance is a good investment towards the future and plays as a backup coverage. Sinkhole insurance coverage usually results in a large payout the protects you, your family, and your home.

Defining A Sinkhole As Catastrophic Ground Collapse

A few states require sinkhole insurance since their entire area is filled with soil and ground that is unstable and continually dissolving. However, Pennsylvania does not require it since only certain regions are likely to experience sinkholes.

How are sinkholes defined for insurance coverage? Sinkholes are determined to be a catastrophic ground collapse that leaves a depression in the ground and inflicts damage or compromises the structural integrity of your home’s foundation.

If your home has fallen victim to sinkhole damage, you do not have to vacate the property right away. However, technically your home must be condemned by the government in order to have to leave your home.

How To Add Sinkhole Insurance To Your Homeowners Policy

You can easily add sinkhole insurance to your homeowner’s insurance policy by contacting your insurance company. Since sinkhole insurance will add significant changes to your homeowner’s insurance, consider shopping around for your home’s best coverage and price. Contact Strickler Insurance for a free quote on home insurance with sinkhole insurance added on.

Contact Strickler Insurance For Sinkhole Insurance

Contact us today at Strickler Insurance and we will get back to you as soon as possible about your sinkhole insurance. Being located in Lebanon County Pennsylvania we serve a large amount of local Pennsylvania homes. From our local towns like Myerstown and Hershey to Berks and Bucks County. Our team is also licensed to sell in New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia. Contact us today for a free sinkhole insurance quote!

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As an independent agency, we are here to help you find the right Sinkhole Insurance coverage.