New UK insurance lead urges early subsidence intervention

Subsidence solutions provider Geobear has appointed Lauren Hicks as UK insurance lead to support its growth and help tackle long claims waiting lists.  Bringing over 13 years of insurance experience across private and public sectors, Hicks will help to reduce lengthy claim lifecycles and build long-lasting partnerships with insurers and loss adjusters in residential and social housing.  

Hicks’ focus will be fostering long-term relationships, balancing existing insurer and loss adjuster connections while developing new ones. She will also manage Geobear’s existing contracts with the insurance market and seek out new framework opportunities.  

Before joining Geobear, Hicks gained over 13 years of experience in the insurance industry, managing diverse portfolios and building relationships with claims markets. Her career began in the private clients sector before moving into a public sector & social housing account executive position at Marsh, a leading global insurance broker. She collaborated with Local Authorities, NHS Trusts and Housing Associations, gaining invaluable experience of managing public procurement tenders.   

“Lauren’s appointment highlights Geobear’s continued growth,” said Pete Luby, group chief operating officer at Geobear. “As the ground engineering and insurance industries cope with increasingly frequent subsidence surges, we want to continue to be provide a high quality customer journey in reducing claim durations and giving people their homes back quicker in great condition.”  

In the first six months of 2025, the Association of British Insurers reported 9,000 domestic subsidence claims, with many still outstanding from ‘event’ or ‘surge’ years in 2018 and 2022.  

Early intervention is one area that Hicks is championing and urging the insurance market to engage with. “Traditionally, insurers have adopted a ‘watch and wait’ approach, which can amplify worry for consumers,” Hicks said. “Utilising early intervention methods is a more cost-effective way of combatting subsidence issues.” 

While Hicks is replacing the previous insurance lead, her new role adds a social housing element, assisting engineers and area managers to increase Geobear’s visibility and navigate the complexities of public procurement.  

 “Social housing is an area that Geobear can really make a difference,” said Hicks. “Keeping disruption to a minimum and being able to keep residents in their homes is a huge benefit to all parties involved.”  

Geobear’s ten-year insurance-backed guarantee provides reassurance to both policyholders and insurers, whilst also showcasing confidence and long-term trust in the Geobear method.  

Image provided by Geobear

Alicia Ward