After a mine subsidence forced the evacuation of homes in Dunmore Borough, PA, lawmakers invited Maurice Gardner, a subsidence investigator with the state Department of Environmental Protection, to their monthly work session. The property insurance expert answered questions from residents about Pennsylvania’s subsidence insurance program.
Mr. Gardner spoke about the details of the program, which is offered for both residential and commercial properties. In a place like Dunmore, where nearly the entire town sits atop coal mines, the insurance is “definitely worth having,” he said. Regular homeowner’s insurance typically does not cover subsidences. The DEP program is a nonprofit fund established in the early 1960s. Mr. Gardner also talked about what to expect from a subsidence. It usually happens quickly, causing a foundation to crack or shift. The deeper the mine, the wider the surface area affected, he said.
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