Sink Hole Problem

[BillyGrown]

Obviously there are issues with sink holes in The Villages. Recently the resident who had to move from her Monarch Grove residence because her home was marked hazardous will be greatly inconvenienced. What does sinkhole insurance cover? We have a Progressive policy with sinkhole insurance? If we are booted out because of the dangers, will we recoup our retirement investment?
https://www.**************.com/2025/07/10/villager-abandons-home-after-sinkhole-saga-takes-its-toll/

“A Villager has reportedly abandoned her home after sinkholes ravaged her villa community.

The home at 5986 Scardino St. in the Glenda Villas in the Village of Monarch Grove is causing consternation for the remaining neighbors, who have been riding out the sinkhole drama for nearly two years….”

[jrref]

Obviously there are issues with sink holes in The Villages. Recently the resident who had to move from her Monarch Grove residence because her home was marked hazardous will be greatly inconvenienced. What does sinkhole insurance cover? We have a Progressive policy with sinkhole insurance? If we are booted out because of the dangers, will we recoup our retirement investment?
https://www.**************.com/2025/07/10/villager-abandons-home-after-sinkhole-saga-takes-its-toll/

“A Villager has reportedly abandoned her home after sinkholes ravaged her villa community.

The home at 5986 Scardino St. in the Glenda Villas in the Village of Monarch Grove is causing consternation for the remaining neighbors, who have been riding out the sinkhole drama for nearly two years….”
This question has been extensively talked about on this site so best to do a search.

But the short answer is, A sink hole insurance rider, the one you pay for covers settlement of your house under the living area. If you wake up one morning and see a sink hole in you front lawn or driveway, this insurance doesn't cover that. But every policy in Florida has Castrophic Ground Collapse coverage. This covers you if your home is unlivable and meets certain criteria. In almost every case here in the Villages, eventhough the home might have not passed all the criteria, it was classified as catastrophic ground collapse.

When I posted for Villagers who actually used their sink hole insurance, we never saw anyone respond.

So, can your home be affected by a sink hole? Yes, but the risk is very low and if it does happen your catastrophic ground collapse coverage most likely cover the loss.

For those who want to prove this wrong, post on how extra sink hole insurance was used by you or someone you know here in the Villages.

[Topspinmo]

Depends on how long owned home and how much spent on upgrades? Couple houses close got condemned. One made out like bandit cause they lived there 20 years plus, got over 500K for their 150K? investment due to years they lived there. The other was lucky to break even due to just moved in, done 50K in upgrades.They both had insurance settlements and then sold property to someone like “we buy any house . Com.” Course it was stressful. Houses are still setting empty for over year. IMO and this just me, most sink holes around here are man made. Disturbing land, drain pipes/transfer pipes leaking, retention pond leaking and eventually collapse.

[DrMack]

This seems to be an issue south of 44 for the most part. We self insure but not everyone wants to do that.

[Velvet]

“Sinkholes” just scare the heck out of many of us. But my landscapers say they are quite common, they mean earth collapses as they go from yard to yard. Real sinkholes are like the one that happened at Winter Park which swallowed up the house, etc. even if covered by catastrophic insurance, you don’t want to be in the house when it happens.

[jrref]

“Sinkholes” just scare the heck out of many of us. But my landscapers say they are quite common, they mean earth collapses as they go from yard to yard. Real sinkholes are like the one that happened at Winter Park which swallowed up the house, etc. even if covered by catastrophic insurance, you don’t want to be in the house when it happens.
But again, that ground settling that the landscapers see is not covered under your sink hole insurance rider.

[Normal]

It’s the entire neighborhood suffering from these sinkholes in the villages.

City of Wildwood hopes to have a dozen families back in their homes by Christmas, repairs in The Villages neighborhood starts after Thanksgiving - 352today (https://352today.com/news/257752-work-to-fix-an-ongoing-road-issue-in-the-villages-will-force-a-dozen-families-to-evacuate-their-homes/)

Not that long ago a large section of that same street collapsed. Homes should have never been built there.

Scardino Street and Monarch Grove are a sinkhole haven.

[jrref]

If you haven't, watch this 48 second video of a sink hole opening in the Bowling Green, Kentucky Corvette Museum in 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IukDWhf7U9I&pp=0gcJCfwAo7VqN5tD

Yep if that happened under your home that would be catastrophic ground collapse and would be covered by your homowners insurance.

[jim@jedward.com]

For a credible answer to your questions, consider asking your insurance company.

[Rocksnap]

If your house is swallowed and uninhabitable, regular homeowners covers that. For a partial collapse, you will need supplemental coverage.

[ByebyeMichigan]

Yep , never did find the guy who was in the house …….sad.

[J1ceasar]

FYI, sinkholes are caused by the water soaking into the ground from rain and then the the limestone collapses from the weight into further cavities below. It is all over Florida and you cannot predict it. You may want to Google it to understand it further. And a fun fact is that if you look at a Google map and see a lake that is round that is one that is caused by a sinkhole. They are hundreds of thousands of them in Florida!

[GATORBILL66]

There are sink holes everywhere in Florida! That's why we buy sink hole insurance.

[jimkerr]

The Florida counties with the highest number of sinkholes, based on geological data and reported incidents, are concentrated in the west-central region, often called "Sinkhole Alley." Here are the top counties:

1. **Pasco County**: Frequently identified as the epicenter of sinkhole activity in Florida, Pasco has the highest number of reported sinkholes due to its karst limestone geology. It accounted for a significant share of the 20,145 sinkhole incidents reported in Sinkhole Alley from 2006 to 2010.

2. **Hernando County**: Also in Sinkhole Alley, Hernando ranks high for sinkhole occurrences, with frequent reports of subsidence and collapses, particularly in areas like Spring Hill and Brooksville.

3. **Hillsborough County**: Home to Tampa, this county sees substantial sinkhole activity, with numerous incidents reported, especially after heavy rainfall or hurricanes like Milton in 2024.

4. **Marion County**: Known for sinkholes around Ocala, Marion is a hotspot, with many incidents occurring along major roads like U.S. 441 and I-75 due to its susceptible karst terrain.

5. **Polk County**: Particularly around Lakeland, Polk has a high number of sinkholes, including many sinkhole lakes formed by past collapses. It’s another key area for sinkhole activity.

These counties are prone to sinkholes because of their underlying limestone, which dissolves easily with groundwater or heavy rain, creating cavities that lead to collapses. Other counties like Citrus, Lake, and Sumter also report sinkholes, but Pasco, Hernando, Hillsborough, Marion, and Polk consistently have the highest numbers based on historical data and geological surveys.

For detailed or real-time data, you can check the Florida Geological Survey’s sinkhole database or interactive map, which tracks subsidence incidents, though not all are confirmed sinkholes.

[RoseyRed]

It’s the entire neighborhood suffering from these sinkholes in the villages.

City of Wildwood hopes to have a dozen families back in their homes by Christmas, repairs in The Villages neighborhood starts after Thanksgiving - 352today (https://352today.com/news/257752-work-to-fix-an-ongoing-road-issue-in-the-villages-will-force-a-dozen-families-to-evacuate-their-homes/)

Not that long ago a large section of that same street collapsed. Homes should have never been built there.

Scardino Street and Monarch Grove are a sinkhole haven.
We have looked at 2 different houses in Monarch Grove. One just this week that was 1 min from the property listed above and we almost made an offer! Why would this NOT be disclosed by the Villages agent? Just goes to show you really need to do your own research and NOT depend on the VLS agent/ MLS real-estate agent to look out for your best interest. Thanks so much for sharing this information!

[Velvet]

We have looked at 2 different houses in Monarch Grove. One just this week that was 1 min from the property listed above and we almost made an offer! Why would this NOT be disclosed by the Villages agent? Just goes to show you really need to do your own research and NOT depend on the VLS agent/ MLS real-estate agent to look out for your best interest. Thanks so much for sharing this information!

(Smile) My agent said, “Sinkholes? I never heard of them.” And that brought out the research skills I honed at university for 20 years.

[jrref]

The Florida counties with the highest number of sinkholes, based on geological data and reported incidents, are concentrated in the west-central region, often called "Sinkhole Alley." Here are the top counties:

1. **Pasco County**: Frequently identified as the epicenter of sinkhole activity in Florida, Pasco has the highest number of reported sinkholes due to its karst limestone geology. It accounted for a significant share of the 20,145 sinkhole incidents reported in Sinkhole Alley from 2006 to 2010.

2. **Hernando County**: Also in Sinkhole Alley, Hernando ranks high for sinkhole occurrences, with frequent reports of subsidence and collapses, particularly in areas like Spring Hill and Brooksville.

3. **Hillsborough County**: Home to Tampa, this county sees substantial sinkhole activity, with numerous incidents reported, especially after heavy rainfall or hurricanes like Milton in 2024.

4. **Marion County**: Known for sinkholes around Ocala, Marion is a hotspot, with many incidents occurring along major roads like U.S. 441 and I-75 due to its susceptible karst terrain.

5. **Polk County**: Particularly around Lakeland, Polk has a high number of sinkholes, including many sinkhole lakes formed by past collapses. It’s another key area for sinkhole activity.

These counties are prone to sinkholes because of their underlying limestone, which dissolves easily with groundwater or heavy rain, creating cavities that lead to collapses. Other counties like Citrus, Lake, and Sumter also report sinkholes, but Pasco, Hernando, Hillsborough, Marion, and Polk consistently have the highest numbers based on historical data and geological surveys.

For detailed or real-time data, you can check the Florida Geological Survey’s sinkhole database or interactive map, which tracks subsidence incidents, though not all are confirmed sinkholes.

I’m glad I don’t see Lake or Sumter county in that list

[Carlsondm]

Sinkholes have been mapped in Marion, Lake, and Sumter Counties for many years. We are south of 44 and found zero sinkholes on the maps in our area when we bought years ago. Land has been developed and data improved south of 44. Now sinkholes are appearing.

We agree that construction activities and techniques add to the likelihood of sinkholes. We purchased at the high end of a slope. 😁

[Velvet]

If you study the causes of various types of sinkholes, you’ll find that it has been observed that working the ground (as in developing) can weaken already susceptible areas.