Homeowners from all over Connecticut are turning to federal court to get their insurers to cover for their properties’ crumbling foundations.
Hundreds of homeowners are experiencing similar crumbling problems throughout the eastern part of the state. The cracking was so widespread, that a local news program, NBC-produced The Troubleshooters, has extensively covered the matter since last July.
Four individuals filed a complaint Jan. 29 that claims over 100 insurance companies, as well as the Insurance Services Office, are “purposefully working against them” by denying them coverage for their cracking basement walls.
"The policies are all uniform, using standardized language and issue standardized denials to all these homeowners," said Attorney Ryan Barry, the legal representative of the four homeowners.
According to Barry, the four homeowners paid an engineering firm thousands of dollars over the past several months to conduct tests and to determine the source of the crumbling. The tests confirmed the presence of pyrrhotite, an iron sulfide mineral identified by The Troubleshooters as the most probable cause for the cracking basement walls.
Research suggests that the material oxidizes over time from exposure to both air and water, with the resulting chemical reaction causing the concrete walls to swell and warp, leading to cracking.
Building experts say that it costs $150,000 or even more to repair damages to the foundation of a home.
As the complaint was filed as a class-action lawsuit, more affected homeowners could join the litigation.
