With its innovative systems, GEOSEChelps reduce the costs incurred by insurance companies due to ground subsidence problems across Europe.
Settlements and insurance costs in Europe: why GEOSECmakes a difference
Each year, European insurance companies spend hundreds of millions of euros repairing structural damage caused by ground settlement. These phenomena—often linked to prolonged droughts, unstable soils, poorly executed infrastructure or water-induced erosion—represent both a technical and financial challenge, particularly in mature markets like the UK and France.
In the United Kingdom, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has estimated that claims related to structural damage from subsidence can exceed £500 million annually, with peaks such as in summer 2018, when over 64,000 claims were submitted. In France, the phenomenon of soil shrink-swell due to clay expansion has significantly increased the number of claims in recent years, pushing indemnity costs beyond €1 billion per year, according to France’s Ministry for the Ecological Transition. These figures highlight a structural issue in the most literal sense: thousands of buildings suffer costly damage every year—damage that could be mitigated or even prevented with effective and innovative solutions such as those developed by GEOSEC®.
In Spain, while the volume of claims related to ground settlement is lower in comparison, the trend is also rising. Insurers are increasingly dealing with claims caused by the loss of soil bearing capacity, particularly in older buildings or those with shallow foundations. Although there are no centralised statistics as detailed as those in the UK or France, industry reports and estimates from companies like MUSAAT suggest that settlement-related claims may exceed €100 million per year.
The value of certified technical intervention
Against this backdrop, one key question arises: how can we contain—or even reduce—these types of costs? The answer lies in anticipation, accurate diagnosis and, above all, the use of reliable, controlled, and certifiable consolidation techniques. This is where GEOSEC®, with its extensive European experience, offers a distinctive solution.
GEOSEC systems such as Soil Stabilization™, See&Shoot® (for expansive resin injections), and Groundfix® (continuous push-driven micropiles) enable highly accurate and minimally invasive ground interventions.
In the case of resin injection systems, the intervention model combines advanced diagnostic technology—3D Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT)—with mechanical testing using DPM-30 dynamic penetrometers. This approach ensures that each operation is a technically sound and self-certified process.
For Groundfix® micropiles, the procedure guarantees that each pile achieves its load-bearing objective through strict monitoring of the pushing force, using pressure readings from the hydraulic jacks during driving.
All interventions are supervised and directed by in-house technical staff, specifically trained to validate the procedures in accordance with certified standards.
The See&Shoot® method has obtained a Certificate of Conformity with the European standard EN 12715 (Execution of special geotechnical works – Grouting), granted by ICMQ, a leading European body for technical certification in the construction sector.
Similarly, the Groundfix® micropile system has been certified by ICMQ to comply with European standards and Eurocodes: UNE EN 12699 (Displacement piles), UNE EN 1997 (Eurocode 7 – Geotechnical design), and UNE EN 1993-5 (Eurocode 3 – Steel structures, Part 5: Piling and sheet piling).
In short, the client does not need to “trust” that the intervention worked—the procedures and data provide objective evidence.
GEOSEC’s contribution to a new insurance paradigm
Within this context, insurers have the opportunity to evolve from a reactive indemnity-based model towards a proactive approach that includes standardised technical recommendations as part of the claims resolution process. Integrating GEOSECsystems into internal protocols can directly reduce the average claim cost and significantly improve the perceived service quality for policyholders.
GEOSEC manages all project phases with fully qualified in-house personnel, ensuring consistency, control and a single point of technical responsibility—no subcontracting involved. Its professional liability and engineering insurance are provided within a unified framework, offering legal certainty to both the insurer and the insured.
Moreover, the minimally invasive nature of these solutions—which can be implemented without interrupting building use (e.g. offices, homes, health centres, warehouses)—adds essential value in complex claim scenarios.
Each GEOSEC intervention begins with an assessment of available data (geotechnical reports, damage surveys, etc.) conducted by our technical department, followed by on-site soil testing and monitoring. This enables accurate, effective action while avoiding generic or oversized interventions.
As we have seen, GEOSEC procedures are self-monitored, verifiable, traceable, and fully documented, enabling real-time decision-making by technical stakeholders, while also providing insurers with:
- a strong technical basis in the event of future claims,
- the ability to identify recurring errors or patterns, and
- full traceability (both legal and technical) for each incident.
Faced with increasing risks and settlement-related costs, the solution lies in better diagnosis, controlled execution and documented traceability. GEOSECoffers not only effective technical solutions, but a certified, adaptable and evidence-based methodology—backed by over 20 years of experience in Europe and thousands of documented interventions.
A secure and strategic choice for insurers seeking to reduce costs, mitigate risk and enhance operational efficiency in an increasingly demanding landscape.
