If this heat feels different, you’re not imagining it. With temperatures forecast to reach up to 38°C across large parts of the country this week, the Met Office has issued amber and red extreme heat warnings across the country. While these temperatures used to be uncommon, they’re now becoming part of everyday summer life.
As scientists warn that we’ll start to see even hotter temperatures in the years ahead due to global warming¹, this will start to have real implications across our day-to-day lives, including your insurance.
When extreme heat stopped being rare
Before the 1980s, northern and western Europe only experienced a handful of days each year above 30°C. Today, many regions see over 60 days rise above those temperatures within a single year, with sharp increases seen across the UK and northern Europe.²
We can’t underestimate the dangers of these spikes in temperature. In August 2003, France experienced a devastating heatwave that led to around 14,800³ deaths in just two weeks. Most victims were older people living alone, many of whom died while family members were away on holiday. At the time, heat was not widely recognised as a serious public health risk.
How France changed its approach to heat
The 2003 heatwave forced France to rethink how it protects its most vulnerable in hot weather. The government introduced a national heatwave plan, which included daily monitoring of temperatures and a public alert system that signals escalating risk levels. Local authorities created registers of vulnerable people and made sure they had access to cooled public spaces during extreme heat.⁴
The changes that France made after that devastating event have since saved countless lives. Since those measures were introduced, France has seen a significant reduction in mortality rates during heatwaves. So, what does this mean for England?
What England is doing now
While England has taken some steps to adapt, many argue that it’s not enough. The Climate Change Committee has criticised the successive government’s ‘woeful’ performance in getting the UK ready for hotter climates.⁵
With that being said, frontline services are taking action. The NHS and social care services plan for hot weather well before summer begins. Hospitals and care homes implement the ‘Weather-Health Alerting System’⁶, which focuses on stringent indoor temperature monitoring, preparing cool areas, identifying high-risk individuals and ensuring to offer sufficient cool water for hydration. These services focus on early intervention, particularly for older people and those with existing health conditions.
These measures reflect a growing recognition that heat is no longer an occasional challenge that can be dealt with reactively. Much of the UK’s infrastructure wasn’t built for prolonged high temperatures, and our homes are no exception.
Why heat matters for your home
When we experience prolonged high temperatures, this can dry out the ground – particularly clay-rich soils that sit beneath large parts of England. When this type of soil loses moisture, it shrinks, impacting the foundations of a property and potentially leading to subsidence.⁷
The financial impact of this is already evident. In the first half of 2025, subsidence-related insurance claims reached £153 million, with almost 9,000 UK households affected. The average payouts of such claims were over £17,000 per household. This makes subsidence one of the most expensive types of home insurance claim in the UK.⁸
Because of this, insurers are reassessing the overall risk. Many property insurance policies now carry subsidence excesses of between £1,000-£2,500+ and homes in higher-risk areas may face stricter underwriting or reduced cover options.⁹ To avoid getting caught out, it’s important to be aware of what’s included in your policy wording.
What this means for homeowners
Hot weather can pose a real risk to your home, particularly during prolonged periods of extreme heat. It’s worth paying attention to any new cracks that may appear in your home. While hairline cracks aren’t unusual, if cracks suddenly appear, run diagonally between doors and windows or widen over time – these could be indicative of a bigger issue. Other warning signs to be aware of include doors sticking, windows becoming difficult to open or gaps appearing between walls and skirting boards – these can all be indications of movement beneath the surface of your home.
Vegetation and drainage can also affect how the ground behaves during and after heatwaves. Trees and large shrubs draw moisture from the soil, increasing shrinkage during dry spells, while leaking pipes or poor drainage can worsen ground movement when rain returns. This is why it’s important to keep planting well managed and check for leaks to help reduce potential pressure on your foundations.
If you notice any changes like this in your home, it pays to act fast. Take note of any issues that appear and when, and avoid cosmetic repairs until you understand the cause, as this can complicate insurance claims. It’s worth speaking to your insurer sooner rather than later if you have any concerns as they can help you understand what support is available.
How Everywhen supports you
Short-term heatwaves are leaving long-term marks on homes and insurance. The heat we are experiencing now is part of that bigger picture.
At Everywhen, we focus on protecting what matters in your everyday. That means helping you understand how changing weather patterns affect your home and your insurance. We’ll work with you to review subsidence cover and explain your excess levels.
If you own a home, now’s the time to check your cover. Speak to Everywhen about your home insurance and make sure it is ready for hotter temperatures both now and in the future.
The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only. It does not constitute legal or other professional advice and cannot be relied upon as such. Should you have any queries, we recommend that you consult the appropriate professional adviser. The links provided in this document are for reference only. Please note that we are not responsible for the content of any linked site.
Sources:
¹ Could UK summers get even hotter and are we ready? - BBC News
² https://sustainability.stanford.edu/news/weather-behind-past-heat-waves-could-return-far-deadlier
³ https://www.euronews.com/2024/08/04/
frances-deadly-2003-heatwave-left-a-mark-on-the-nation-now-their-heatwave-planning-is-worl
⁴ https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20230808-twenty-years-after-the-deadly-2003-heatwave-what-lessons-has-france-learned
⁵ Could UK summers get even hotter and are we ready? - BBC News
⁶ https://www.uhd.nhs.uk/uploads/news/docs/bulletin/Heatwave-Plan.pdf
⁷ Swelling and shrinking soils - British Geological Survey
⁸ https://www.abi.org.uk/news/news-articles/2025/7/insurance-support-tops-150-million-for-homes-affected-by-subsidence
⁹ UK homes could collapse or sink in heatwave as map shows areas most at risk – Property Watchdog