Jay, I’ve never seen the wording ‘Act of God’ in an insurance policy, it’s not considered a working insurance term. Sinkholes are lumped in with earth movement (earthquakes, mudslides, ground settling) and are generally excluded from property coverage.

Phil, I’d like to see that endorsement for sinkholes. Certain counties in Ohio can offer a state coverage for mine subsistance (same effect, different cause). Farmers insurance in Ohio used to offer an earthquake endorsement, didn’t sell many of those.

If TX or FL were smart, they’d create program to cover sinkholes and make everyone chip in $10 a year for coverage up to say $100K. Would be better than nothing.

Here in PA where I live we can get sinkhole riders for our policies – I most definitely have that since sinkholes have opened up around here. Nothing as big as the subject one, though. I guess everything really is bigger in Texas.

The earth can and does move under your feet…

Floods can cause sinkholes by changing the topology of underground water areas; in CA at least, we typically hear about sinkholes late in the rainy season when there’s been a lot of rain.

I believe this is considered earth movement which is excluded. If you are real scared of sinkholes there may be an endorsement to add it back.