Sinkholes in Tampa Bay: A Plain-English FAQ for Buyers and Sellers

This page is general information, not legal, insurance or engineering advice. Statutes change; confirm current law and your policy terms with a Florida attorney, your insurance agent and a licensed professional geologist or engineer.

Sinkholes form where groundwater dissolves the limestone under Florida, and the Florida Geological Survey says no part of the state is entirely free of sinkhole risk. Florida insurers must cover catastrophic ground cover collapse and must offer broader sinkhole coverage for an added premium. Sellers must disclose paid sinkhole claims and known defects.

What is a sinkhole, and why does Tampa Bay get them?

Much of Florida is karst terrain: limestone bedrock that slightly acidic groundwater slowly dissolves into cavities. When sediment above a cavity collapses or ravels into it, a sinkhole forms. The Florida Geological Survey describes three types in Florida: solution, cover-subsidence and cover-collapse sinkholes (Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Geological Survey Sinkhole FAQ).

The state keeps a Subsidence Incident Reports database, but keep that data in context: the Florida Geological Survey notes most incidents in it have not been field-checked, and the cause of subsidence is not verified.

Sinkhole coverage vs. catastrophic ground cover collapse

Florida law (section 627.706, Florida Statutes) sets two different levels of protection:

  • Catastrophic ground cover collapse (CGCC): every authorized property insurer must cover it. It applies only when all four conditions occur: abrupt collapse of the ground cover, a depression visible to the naked eye, structural damage to the building including the foundation, and the structure being condemned and ordered vacated. Settling or cracking alone does not qualify. (s. 627.706(1)(a) and (2)(a))
  • Sinkhole loss coverage: insurers must make it available for an additional premium, may require an inspection first, and may offer a sinkhole deductible of 1, 2, 5 or 10 percent of the dwelling limit. It covers structural damage caused by sinkhole activity, as the statute defines it. (s. 627.706(1)(b) and (2)(j))
  • Limited sinkhole coverage: some insurers may offer a limited sinkhole policy; Citizens Property Insurance Corporation may not. (s. 627.7151)
  • Deadline: a sinkhole claim is barred unless notice is given to the insurer within 2 years after the policyholder knew or reasonably should have known about the loss. (s. 627.706(5))

Policy terms vary; read the sinkhole section of any quote.

What to do if you suspect a sinkhole

  1. If a hole is affecting a building, and you see sinking, sagging or cracking walls, stay out. If there is a risk of physical harm, call your local law enforcement agency.
  2. Keep people and pets away from the area.
  3. Call your property insurance adjuster or agent and report it right away. Take dated photos.
  4. For an assessment, the Florida Geological Survey suggests contacting a certified home inspector or foundation specialist. If you file a sinkhole claim, Florida law has the insurer's professional engineer or professional geologist test and report on it (s. 627.7073).
  5. Report the subsidence incident to the Florida Geological Survey so it can be documented. Its Sinkhole Helpline is 850-245-2118.

Selling a home: what you must disclose

  • Paid sinkhole claims: if you made a sinkhole claim and the insurer paid it, you must disclose to the buyer before closing that the claim was paid and whether the full proceeds were used to repair the damage. (s. 627.7073(2)(c), F.S.)
  • Known material defects: under Johnson v. Davis, 480 So. 2d 625 (Fla. 1985), a seller of a home who knows of facts materially affecting its value that are not readily observable and not known to the buyer must disclose them.
  • Recorded reports: after a paid sinkhole claim, the insurer files the engineer's or geologist's report, and the certification that stabilization has been completed, with the clerk of court in the county where the property is. These become part of the public record. (s. 627.7073(2))
  • Give buyers the engineer's report and the stabilization certification.

Buying a home: how sinkholes affect your purchase

  • Ask the seller directly about any sinkhole claim, testing or repair, and read the disclosure.
  • Search the county clerk's official records for recorded sinkhole reports on the property (Hillsborough County Clerk of Court; Pasco County Clerk and Comptroller).
  • For a repaired home, get the engineer's report, the repair method, the completion certification, and any warranty, and confirm whether it transfers to you.
  • Get homeowners insurance quotes, including the sinkhole option, before your inspection period ends.
  • If you plan to use Pasco County down payment assistance, note that homes with sinkhole history, including repaired ones, are not eligible (Pasco County program page, checked Oct 28, 2026).
  • Price matters: a disclosed claim or repair can affect value and resale. We pull comparable sales of similar repaired homes where available.

Sources

(All checked Oct 28, 2026.)

Questions about a specific home?

We can help you find a home's records and line up the right professionals. Call or text (813) 513-1001 or email info@cehomestampa.com.

Related: Start Your Home Search · Prep to Sell · Land O' Lakes · Wesley Chapel · Lutz

FAQs

What is a sinkhole?

Florida law defines a sinkhole as a landform created by subsidence of soil, sediment or rock as underlying strata are dissolved by groundwater (s. 627.706(2)(h), Florida Statutes). Much of Florida sits on limestone, a karst terrain where slightly acidic groundwater slowly dissolves cavities.

Does Florida homeowners insurance cover sinkholes?

Every authorized Florida property insurer must cover catastrophic ground cover collapse, and must make sinkhole loss coverage available for an additional premium, possibly after an inspection (s. 627.706(1), F.S.). Read the sinkhole section of any quote to see which you are buying.

What is catastrophic ground cover collapse?

It requires all four of the following: an abrupt collapse of the ground cover, a depression clearly visible to the naked eye, structural damage to the building including the foundation, and the structure being condemned and ordered vacated by the government agency authorized to do so (s. 627.706(2)(a), F.S.).

What should I do if I think there is a sinkhole on my property?

If a hole affects a building, or walls are sinking or cracking, stay out and call your insurer right away; if there is a risk of physical harm, call local law enforcement. Keep people and pets away, and report the incident to the Florida Geological Survey (Sinkhole Helpline 850-245-2118).

Do sellers in Florida have to disclose sinkholes?

If the seller made a sinkhole claim that the insurer paid, the seller must tell the buyer before closing that the claim was paid and whether the full proceeds were used for repairs (s. 627.7073(2)(c), F.S.). Florida case law also requires sellers to disclose known material defects that buyers cannot readily see (Johnson v. Davis, 1985).

Can I buy a home with a repaired sinkhole?

Yes. Ask for the engineer's report, the repair certification and any recorded documents, confirm whether a repair warranty transfers, and get an insurance quote before your inspection period ends. The Florida Geological Survey says a repair certified by a licensed professional engineer and completed to the insurer's satisfaction is likely safe, but there can be no guarantees.

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