Mine Subsidence Insurance: Do You Have Yourself Covered? By GEORGE H. RYAN, Lieutenant Governor Chairman, Abandoned Mined Lands Reclamation Council

As perhaps many of you readers recall, early this fall in Springfield there was a case of mine subsidence. Specifically, a west-side subdivision in our capital city underwent the frightening effects of a collapsing coal mine, bringing to light again the safety hazards and property damage that can be a result. In this case, nine homes were affected when a coal pillar, left behind as roof support, collapsed. The consequence? Walls and foundations cracked, doors jammed, roads buckled and entire houses shifted in response to the tension.

Mine subsidence events such as this one are not new. Since 1842, more than 70 counties in Illinois have been undermined, primarily for coal. Subsidence is a real threat in these areas, particularly in towns like Belleville and Streator which are more than 75 percent undermined.

From a geological standpoint, subsidence occurs when a mine roof falls or when support pillars collapse or settle, resulting in the development of a pit or sag in the overlying surface. That's bad news for structures located within a subsidence zone, because they can be severely affected.

Not only our state's extensive mining history, but also its inherent geology intensifies the subsidence problem. Weak bedrock layers, found directly above and beneath Illinois' coal seams, fracture relatively easily and so provide poor support for mine roofs. The relatively soft coal pillars can also deteriorate and contribute to eventual subsidence.

In the event that subsidence occurs over an abandoned mine, the Abandoned Mined Lands Reclamation Council — over which I serve as chairman — can take immediate action to confine the damage and eliminate any safety hazards. (Federal law defines "abandoned mines" as any mine where operations terminated prior to August 3,1977.) The council is not authorized, however, to provide payment for repairs. Fortunately, the Illinois General Assembly enacted legislation in 1979 which established the Illinois Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund. In the 34 counties which are 1 percent or more undermined, subsidence protection, unless waived by the policyholder, is automatically included in your homeowner's policy at an added cost of only $6-$17 annually, depending on the value of your home.

The Springfield subsidence also brought to my attention the need to review and possibly increase the upper limit of subsidence protection, currently set at $100,000. With homes steadily increasing in value, it is time to re-evaluate the state-mandated $100,000 limit. This is especially important in a situation like a condominium complex, in which payment for subsidence-related damages would currently be limited to $100,000 for the entire structure — regardless of the number of individual units affected. I am currently working with the Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund to address these issues and appropriate legislation will be introduced early next year.

Despite our efforts and the publicity surrounding past subsidence events, many homeowners continue to be uninformed or misinformed about subsidence and subsidence insurance. I encourage homeowners who reside within one of the counties to check with their insurance agent to verify or sign up for subsidence coverage. If you are unsure whether your home is undermined, you can contact the Abandoned Mined Lands Reclamation Council at 217/782-0588. Council staff can assist you in reviewing the appropriate mine map. You should not rely on maps alone, however, since some older mines have gone unrecorded and map boundaries may not be entirely accurate.

In determining whether to purchase subsidence insurance, it is important to keep in mind that no other remedy is available to finance repairs if a home is damaged by mine subsidence. The average $15 that it costs annually to insure against such a loss is indeed money very well spent when considering the alternative. •

Page 10 / Illinois Municipal Review / December 1989