HR0235

LRB096 12173 RPM 24548 r






1

HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
2
    WHEREAS, The Illinois Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund was 
3
created by the Illinois General Assembly in 1979; and

 
4
    WHEREAS, The purpose of the Illinois Mine Subsidence 
5
Insurance Fund is to ensure that financial resources are 
6
available to owners of property damaged by mine subsidence so 
7
that those damages can be repaired; and

 
8
    WHEREAS, The Fund does this by providing reinsurance to 
9
insurance companies, conducting geotechnical investigations to 
10
determine if mine subsidence caused the damage, supporting 
11
research to mitigate structural damage, and educating the 
12
public about the use of insurance to lessen the risk of 
13
financial loss resulting from mine subsidence; and

 
14
    WHEREAS, Mine subsidence is lateral or vertical ground 
15
movement caused by a failure initiated at the mine level that 
16
can directly damage structures; and

 
17
    WHEREAS, Illinois has approximately 5,000 abandoned mines 
18
and an estimated 330,000 housing units with possible exposure 
19
to mine subsidence; and

 
20
    WHEREAS, All damage caused by a single mine subsidence 
 


 






HR0235
- 2 -
LRB096 12173 RPM 24548 r




1
event or several mine subsidence events that are continuous 
2
shall constitute one occurrence; and

 
3
    WHEREAS, The total amount of the loss reimbursable to an 
4
insurer shall be limited to the amount of insurance reinsured 
5
by the Fund in force at the time when the damage first became 
6
reasonably observable; and

 
7
    WHEREAS, An insurer may refuse to provide mine subsidence 
8
coverage on a property evidencing unrepaired mine subsidence 
9
damage until such damage has been repaired; and

 
10
    WHEREAS, The General Assembly has grappled for years with 
11
the public policy question of how to better educate, notify, 
12
and protect the public regarding confirmed cases of mine 
13
subsidence; and

 
14
    WHEREAS, The Illinois Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund is 
15
empowered to conduct research programs in an effort to improve 
16
the administration of the mine subsidence insurance program and 
17
help reduce and mitigate mine subsidence losses consistent with 
18
the public interest; therefore, be it

 
19
    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
20
NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
21
the Illinois Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund shall conduct a 
 


 






HR0235
- 3 -
LRB096 12173 RPM 24548 r




1
study to determine the cost and feasibility of disclosing to 
2
the public the property location and other pertinent 
3
information of all confirmed mine subsidence losses to 
4
residential property; and be it further
 
5
    RESOLVED,  That the Fund shall provide a written response to 
6
the Illinois House of Representatives by December 15, 2009.