So you figured out that you have a sinkhole home, or at least you're very suspicious that you are on a sinkhole property. What do you do next? Put your house on the market? Notify your insurance company immediately? Call 911? Move to temporary housing? None of the above. The first step is to calm your rattled nerves, be patient, and follow these steps.

1. Don't call your insurance company immediately; check your insurance policy first to determine if you have sinkhole coverage.
2. Once you verify your home is covered and you call the insurance company, they will send an adjustor to inspect the home for sinkhole damage, and find out if further testing for sinkhole activity is necessary.
3. If further testing is necessary, the insurance company will hire a professional engineering firm to perform tests for sinkhole activity. Because of the degree of testing that is necessary to determine sinkhole activity, the process may take three days.
4. In three to four weeks, your insurance company should notify you of the outcome of the sinkhole testing. You have the right to request a copy of the engineer's report. Keep this for your records.
5. Positive results from sinkhole testing can be disappointing. If the report has confirmed sinkhole activity, the firm may also propose a solution and/or an estimate. The insurance company may request additional sinkhole repair bids from other engineering firms.
6. The insurance company will consider the bids and come to a decision.

Here are the options:

• The insurance company decides not to fix your home. If the cost of repairing the sinkhole home exceeds 80% of your policy limit, the insurance company may decide against sinkhole repair. The insurance company will then award you the full value of the policy, and you are left with the decision of fixing the home yourself or selling it. In order to make up for your potential loss, you can sell the home to a company specializing in buying sinkhole homes. Since we buy sinkhole homes, click here for a free purchase offer.
  
  
• The insurance company decides to fix your home. They may request a sinkhole repair company to give a repair estimate. However, as the homeowner and policyholder, you make the final decision of which company to use for your repair. Why not choose an authoritative company in the industry. Obtain a free estimate for repair.
7. In some cases, the engineering report may indicate that there is no sinkhole activity. Some of the sinkhole signs may be due to natural processes such as clay soil, organic decomposition, or buried debris. If this is the cause, your insurance company will deny the claim.