Wall cracks due to heat are a growing problem in France
Up to 10 million homes affected by issue linked to clay soils that swell when wet and shrink in heat
Clay soil shrinking or swelling can cause cracks - there is a specific insurance claim procedure to follow
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Cracks in houses linked to clay soils that swell when wet and shrink in heat are an increasing concern in many areas, with up to 10 million homes at risk.
You can check the risk in your area at georisques.gouv.fr by searching for retrait-gonflement des argiles.
Since 2000, regulations have required new buildings in at-risk zones to be adapted to cope with this issue.
Preventive measures exist for older homes but can be costly.
A professional, such as a bureau d’étude des sols, can provide advice.
If your home suffers damage due to this phenomenon, it falls under natural disaster coverage in your home insurance – but you can only make a claim once a natural disaster decree (arrêté de catastrophe naturelle) has been issued for your area.
What counts as a natural disaster for insurance?
There are two conditions.
The first is that you must have natural disaster coverage in your insurance plan.
The second is that a governmental decree must declare a natural disaster in your area.
This decree is published in the Journal officiel, and it will specify exactly what communes and zones are affected by the natural disaster, the period of time in which the disaster took place, and the damages caused by it.
A disaster is declared after the mairies of communes hit by a disaster make a demand for this recognition to the prefecture.
The assurance catastrophe naturelle is an insurance that allows you to be compensated for damage caused by natural disasters (earthquake, flood, drought, landslide, etc.).
This mainly relates to damage to your property.
Natural disaster insurance is included in all multi-risk home insurance policies (assurance multirisques habitation), which the vast majority of homeowners in France have.
In fact, insurers cannot refuse to include natural disaster coverage in your plan. If they do, you can appeal to the Bureau Central de Tarification (BCT) within 15 days of their refusal.
For more information on how this system works, click here.
