Are Fallen Trees Covered by Homeowners Insurance?
Unsure if your homeowners insurance covers fallen tree damage? Learn what's covered, what's not, and how to navigate a claim effectively.
Homeowners insurance provides financial protection against unexpected events that can damage a dwelling and its contents. It helps property owners recover from losses due to various perils. Fallen trees are a common concern for homeowners. This article clarifies homeowners insurance coverage for fallen trees, outlining common scenarios, financial boundaries, and the claims process.
Covered Scenarios and Damage
Homeowners insurance covers damage caused by a fallen tree when the fall is due to a covered peril. Common covered perils include windstorms, lightning, fire, vandalism, or the weight of ice and snow. If a tree falls onto the insured dwelling, a detached garage, or a shed due to these events, the damage to the structure is covered.
Damage to other structures on the property, such as fences, driveways, or swimming pools, may be covered, subject to policy limits. When a tree falls on the house and damages personal property inside, such as furniture or electronics, those items are covered under the personal property section of the policy.
Debris removal costs for the fallen tree are covered, but only if the tree caused damage to a covered structure. If a tree falls on the roof and causes damage, removal costs to facilitate repairs are included. If a neighbor’s tree falls on your property due to a covered peril, your policy covers the damage, regardless of the tree’s origin.
Specific Coverage Limits and Exclusions
Homeowners insurance policies include limits and exclusions for fallen tree damage. A deductible applies to most claims, meaning the homeowner pays a set amount before coverage begins. For example, if a policy has a $1,000 deductible, the homeowner pays the first $1000 of covered repair costs.
Sub-limits apply to certain coverage types. Debris removal, for instance, has a separate, lower limit, such as $500 or $1,000. Other structures, like detached sheds or fences, also have sub-limits, often a percentage of the dwelling’s coverage.
Exclusions from standard homeowners insurance coverage include: If a tree falls without damaging covered property, such as landing harmlessly in the yard, debris removal is not covered. Damage from neglect or poor maintenance, like a tree falling due to rot or disease, may be denied. Intentional tree cutting that causes damage is also not covered.
Perils like floods or earthquakes are excluded from standard policies and require separate insurance. Homeowners insurance covers damage caused by a fallen tree, not damage to the tree itself. Damage to a vehicle from a fallen tree is covered under the comprehensive portion of an auto insurance policy, not the homeowner’s policy.
Navigating a Claim
After a tree falls and causes damage, safety is the priority. Prevent further damage, such as by tarping a damaged roof to prevent water intrusion. Document damage thoroughly with photos and videos before cleanup or repairs begin.
Contact the insurance company promptly. Have your policy number, incident date and time, and a clear damage description ready. Timely notification allows the insurer to initiate the claim and assign an adjuster.
An adjuster will assess the damage and scope of repairs. Obtain repair estimates from qualified contractors for covered damage. These estimates help the adjuster and homeowner agree on repair costs.
Claims are settled based on either the actual cash value (ACV) or replacement cost value (RCV). ACV accounts for depreciation, while RCV covers the cost to repair or replace the damaged property without deducting for depreciation, providing a higher payout. Understand which settlement type applies.