Sinkhole-Prone Areas May Face Higher Home Insurance Quotes

People who are shopping for home insurance quotes often find important questions that come up, such as whether they should pay extra for protection against things like floods and sinkholes.

Flood insurance has been in the news considerably in recent years thanks to major weather disasters that cost insurers and homeowners billions of dollars. Fewer people may be familiar with the question of whether to purchase sinkhole coverage, since this is not typically offered under standard policies.

To determine if they live near an area that is prone to sinkhole activity, homeowners can start by consulting the U.S. Geological Service website. The agency reports that states like Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Tennessee are among those most at risk for damage caused by sinkholes.

The USGS explains that sinkholes are formed when rocks such as limestone are dissolved by groundwater, allowing natural caverns to open up which can then swallow vehicles or parts of houses over time.

Government statistics show that up to 40 percent of the country may have evaporated rock beds below the surface, which results in a greater risk for sinkholes. Such hazards are not an everyday occurrence, but they are one more thing to be aware of when shopping for home insurance quotes.