Many people wonder if their homeowners insurance policy covers tree damage. While the coverage might depend on several factors, many companies will cover part of the repair costs and work to restore your home to its original state. Explore your policy thoroughly before filing a claim.
What to Do When a Tree Falls on Your Home
When a tree falls on your home, the first thing you should do is evacuate. Ensure all members of your household are safe and unharmed.
Next, you should check your home for various damages. For example, the fallen tree could have harmed electrical components, hit a pipe or taken down power lines. Call your utility company so a professional can assess the situation. To prevent hazards, immediately shut off your gas, water or electricity if you fear the lines or pipes have broken.
If the tree has fallen on your roof, you’ll have to be aware of a few things. First, check the area for leaks and water damage, as excessive water damage might lead to mold buildup or dangerous water and electricity mixtures. Stay away from the area until the professionals arrive.
Does Home Insurance Cover Tree Damage?
The answer to this question depends on the cause of the fall and what damage resulted. For example, your homeowners insurance usually covers damage to the home, fences or shed. However, you’ll have to review your policy to see what causes of loss, or perils, the insurance agency will cover. Many policies cover falls resulting from wind, and others will not cover falls resulting from tree neglect.
The cause of the fall is paramount. If a healthy tree toppled in a storm or strong winds, your insurance agency will understand you were powerless to stop the fall. However, if your tree becomes unhealthy due to neglect and lack of proper maintenance, your insurance company will likely view it as a preventable circumstance and withhold coverage.
Does Home Insurance Cover Tree Removal?
If the tree fell and caused no damage to your house, meaning the home does not need repairs, your insurance will likely not cover tree or branch removal. However, in some cases, they will make an exception if the debris has become an obstacle by falling onto your driveway and preventing vehicles from coming and going.
If a fallen tree extensively damages your home’s structure, the insurance company will likely help cover the cost of repairs and removal of fallen branches.
How Much Does My Policy Cover?
Your homeowners insurance policy coverage will depend on the limits set by your current terms and conditions. A limitation is the maximum amount your policy will cover, while many insurance companies may offer separate limits for other coverage or dwelling coverage.
Dwelling coverage refers to payments made for damage to the home’s structure. Other coverage may reimburse costs to repair the damage to sheds or fences. Depending on your coverage limits and deductible, your insurance policy may cover some or none of these damages, or offer partial reimbursements. In most cases, your insurance agency will cover up to 10% of the damages.
When determining how much your policy covers, explore any limitations set for your coverage type. There are two standard coverage types — replacement cost and actual cash value coverage.
The replacement cost coverage determines what it might cost to fully replace the damaged home or items within it. It seeks to restore the property and any essential home items to their original condition. The actual cash value coverage subtracts money based on depreciation or reduced property value over time.
Before the insurance adjuster visits and inspects your home’s damage, familiarize yourself with your insurance policy. The adjuster can determine how much coverage you deserve and calculate that into your reimbursement check.
How to File a Claim
When filing a claim, have the insurance adjuster review your coverage and determine how much the company will reimburse you. Your homeowners insurance coverage usually excludes specific perils, so check your policy thoroughly to ensure your insurer won’t deny your claim.
When filing a claim, take photos and videos of the damage to show to your agency as proof. When the insurance company sends someone out to inspect the property, they will likely try to estimate how much repairs will cost based on the existing damage. Taking photos of the initial incident can help you get a more significant reimbursement. Remember, your refund amount will depend on your policy limits and set coverage terms.
How to Prevent Falling Trees
Here are a few ways to prevent falling trees from affecting your home and head off issues before they become dangerous.
- Inspect your trees: Hire an arborist to check your trees’ health and prune any dead limbs.
- Look for damages after storms: After windstorms or heavy rainfall, check for damages, leaning trees or fallen branches.
- Place new trees away from the house: If you want to plant a new tree, put it far from your home.
How Can Performance Adjusting Help You?
Performance Adjusting works as a public insurance adjuster. Our company can keep you secure by assessing your damaged home or property and working on getting the highest possible payout possible. Your home and its contents will be in safe hands. We will visit and inspect your home and immediately start your claim. We can also examine your existing claims and recommend ways to increase your coverage amount.
Contact Performance Adjusting for Tree Damage Coverage
At Performance Adjusting, we work with clients who need someone to handle the insurance claim process and speak directly with insurance companies. As public insurance adjusters, we advocate for you, aiming to get the maximum payout you deserve while assessing the damage from fallen trees or branches. Contact us immediately after you experience a fire, water damage or intense storm or explore our services online.
