Happy Arbor Day! With the celebration each spring, we love to share our appreciation of the land by planting trees. Where does insurance tie in? As you plant trees about your own property, your homeowners insurance will generally protect you in the event a fallen tree damages your home or an already insured structure (example: a detached garage).

Trees and Home Insurance: Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What if a tree on someone else’s property falls on my home? Will my insurance cover the damage?

A: You can still file a claim for the damages with your insurance carrier even if the tree does not belong to you. During inclement weather, like storms or high winds, trees are known to deliver extensive damages to houses and buildings.

Q: What is the damaging tree clearly belongs to my neighbor?

A: your insurance carrier may attempt to collect payment from your neighbor’s insurance policy. Your carrier/neighbor must be able to prove that the tree was not healthy or was not taken care of properly. If you do indeed receive payment from the neighbor’s insurance policy, you’ll likely be recompensated for your deductible.

Q: Will insurance cover costs related to the removal of a fallen tree?

A: Your homeowner’s insurance policy will cover the cost of tree removal (up to the limits) of your coverage if:

• The tree fell on a structure that is already insured under the terms of your homeowners policy
• No structure was hit, but the fallen tree is obstructing a handicap ramp or driveway. There are insurance carriers who will cover the cost or removal. 

Q: Will my homeowners policy cover damages from various forces sustained to trees and bushes?

A: Your standard homeowners policy will cover damages (up to its limits) as a result of fire, lightning, explosion, theft, aircraft, cars that are not yours, vandalism, or riots.

On behalf of all of us at Hertvik Insurance Group, we wish you a happy Arbor Day! If you have any questions about your homeowners insurance or tree-related claims, contact us today.