Wind Damage: Tree Insurance Claims

Whether tree damage is considered wind damage for insurance purposes depends on several factors, such as what caused the tree to fall and what kind of damage it caused. If a tree falls on your home or other insured structures, such as a garage or fence, due to wind, your standard homeowners insurance policy will typically cover the cost of repairs and tree removal. However, if the tree fell due to negligence or poor maintenance, such as failing to remove a dead or rotten tree, your insurance may not cover the damage. Additionally, if the tree falls without causing any structural damage, your insurance policy will likely not cover the cost of tree removal unless it blocks a driveway or handicap access. It's important to review your specific insurance policy to understand what is covered in the event of tree damage.

Home insurance covers tree damage caused by wind, lightning, hail, fire, etc

Home insurance covers tree damage and removal, but only under certain conditions. If a tree falls on your house, your standard homeowners insurance will cover the damage to the structure and its contents. This is true for trees felled by wind, lightning, or hail. If the tree originated in your neighbour's yard, your insurance company will still cover the damage, and may try to recoup the costs from your neighbour's insurance company.

In addition to wind, lightning, and hail, home insurance covers tree damage caused by fire, explosion, riot, aircraft, vehicles not owned by the resident, vandalism, theft, and snow and ice. If a tree falls on your property due to one of these reasons, your insurance company will pay for its removal. However, if the tree fell naturally—due to age or rot, for example—you will likely have to pay for its removal yourself, as insurance companies will not cover preventable events.

If a tree falls on your property but does not cause any damage, your insurance company will not cover the cost of removal unless the tree is blocking a driveway or a ramp designed to assist disabled people. If a tree falls on your car, your comprehensive car insurance will cover the damage, not your homeowners insurance.

Insurance companies may not cover tree removal if the tree didn't damage anything

If a tree falls and doesn't damage anything, insurance usually doesn't pay for its removal. This is because insurance companies will not cover events that can be considered preventable. Insurers may argue that you could have removed the tree before the storm hit. Therefore, it is important to remove any unhealthy trees, as insurance companies can be difficult when it comes to paying for the damage they cause.

In addition, if a tree falls on your property without causing any damage, your insurance policy may not cover its removal or cleanup. This is because your home insurance contract requires you to maintain your property and take steps to avoid claims, including taking down dangerous trees. If you were aware that the tree was dead or damaged and didn't take steps to prevent it from falling, your insurance may deny coverage.

However, there are some exceptions. Some insurance companies may pay for the removal of a fallen tree if it is blocking a driveway or a ramp designed to assist disabled people. Additionally, if the cause of the collapse was fire, lightning, explosion, riot, aircraft, vehicles not owned by you, vandalism, or theft, the tree removal would be covered if it landed on your home or in an empty space.

If a tree from your property damages a neighbour's property, their insurance may cover it

If a tree from your property falls and damages a neighbour's property, the first step is to determine liability. If the tree fell due to a natural occurrence, such as a storm, wind, lightning, or snow, and you had no prior knowledge of the tree being dead or rotten, your neighbour's insurance policy will likely cover the damage to their property. In this case, your neighbour would file a claim through their own homeowners insurance.

However, if you are found to be negligent in maintaining the tree, you may be held liable for the damage. For example, if the tree was dead or diseased, and your neighbour can prove that they had previously complained to you or the relevant authorities about the state of the tree, you could be legally responsible for the damages. In this case, your liability coverage or homeowners insurance would cover the damage to your neighbour's property.

It is important to note that even if you are found to be negligent, your neighbour's insurance company may initially cover the cost of repairs and then attempt to recoup their losses from your insurance company through a process called subrogation. This could result in you being reimbursed for your deductible if your insurer is successful.

To avoid disputes and maintain good relations with your neighbours, it is advisable to periodically inspect and maintain the health of your trees, especially those that could potentially cause damage to neighbouring properties.

If a tree from a neighbour's property damages your property, your insurance may cover it

If a tree from your neighbour's property falls and damages your property, you may be able to make a claim with your insurance company. This is true even if the damage was caused by a tree from your neighbour's yard. Your insurance company may then try to recoup the costs from your neighbour's insurance company through a process called subrogation. If this is successful, you may be reimbursed for your deductible.

If the tree fell due to a storm or other peril covered by your insurance policy, your insurance company will cover the damage to your property. However, if the tree was dead and you knew it, you may be held liable, and your insurance will pay for the damage. If the tree fell due to poor maintenance, most home insurance won't cover the damage.

It's important to note that if the fallen tree did not hit an insured structure, there is generally no coverage for debris removal. However, some insurance companies may pay for the removal if the tree is blocking a driveway or a ramp for disabled access.

Additionally, if your trees, shrubs, or other landscaping plants are damaged by your neighbour's tree, but no structures were harmed, your insurance policy may pay up to a specified limit to replace each damaged plant. This coverage is typically only provided if the damage was caused by specific perils, such as natural disasters or vandalism.

Home insurance covers damage to the home and other structures like fences or sheds

Your policy deductible applies to this coverage, so you'll need to pay a portion of any claim out of pocket. The specific protections provided by your home insurance policy will depend on the property policy type you choose. It's important to carefully read your policy terms to know exactly what types of perils are covered and which are excluded.

Standard homeowners insurance covers damage to the home and other structures from wind, lightning, or hail. It also includes personal property coverage for items such as furniture, clothing, or electronics, even if they are stored outside of the home or in a detached structure. Coverage for items stored outside the home is typically limited to a smaller percentage of your overall personal property coverage limit.

If a tree falls on your home or other insured structure due to wind, your homeowners insurance will cover the damage to the structure and its contents. It will also usually cover the cost of removing the tree, generally up to $500 to $1,000, depending on the insurer and policy type. However, if the tree fell due to natural causes like age or rot, insurance may not cover the removal cost.

Frequently asked questions