DEP Lowers Premiums For Mining-Related Insurance Program

Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection has lowered premiums for its mine subsidence insurance program.

What’s mine subsidence insurance? It’s a policy that offers protection against damage caused by mining-related sinkholes.

Essential Public Radio has more on the program:

Amanda Witman, spokesperson for the DEP, said anyone living in an underground coal or clay mining region should consider obtaining MSI.

“A homeowner living in a coal mining region may have an unexpected subsidence, which is basically the ground moving below their home resulting in damages to their home. Mine subsidence insurance would pay for those damages,” Witman said.

Witman noted typical homeowners insurance policies do not cover these particular types of disasters.

“Having mine subsidence insurance fills that void both literally and figuratively,” Witman said.

Witman said the Pennsylvania Mine Subsidence Insurance program has paid claims ranging from $50,000 to $200,000. The maximum amount of coverage available to purchase is $500,000.