Does Renters Insurance Cover Tree Damage?

Renters insurance protects personal belongings from covered events and offers liability protection for injuries or property damage to others. This article explains how renters insurance addresses damage caused by trees.

Understanding Renters Insurance Coverages

Renters insurance policies include several types of coverage. Personal property coverage protects belongings like furniture, electronics, and clothing against specific listed perils. This coverage applies even if your items are not inside your rented unit, such as in a storage facility or vehicle. This coverage is responsible for covering your items if they are damaged by a falling tree.

Additional living expenses (ALE) coverage, also known as loss of use coverage, helps with increased costs like temporary housing, food, and other necessities if your rented home becomes uninhabitable due to a covered event. This includes situations where a tree causes significant damage to the dwelling. ALE coverage aims to maintain your standard of living while repairs are underway, often covering expenses for a set period.

Personal liability coverage protects you if you are found legally responsible for bodily injury to another person or damage to their property. This coverage includes associated legal fees and damages up to your policy limits.

Renters insurance covers your personal possessions and liability, but it does not cover the physical structure of the rented dwelling. Damage to the building itself, such as the roof or walls, is the landlord’s responsibility and is covered by their property insurance policy.

When Tree Damage is Covered

Renters insurance policies operate on a “named perils” basis, covering damage caused by specific events listed in the policy. When a tree causes damage, coverage depends on why it fell. Common covered perils include:

Windstorms and hail, which can blow trees over or cause branches to break. For example, if high winds cause a tree to fall onto your apartment, crushing your furniture, your personal property coverage applies.
Fire, such as when a tree falls on power lines and causes a fire that damages your belongings.
Lightning strikes that cause a tree to fall and damage property.
Damage from the weight of ice, snow, or sleet, such as heavy accumulation causing branches to snap and damage your possessions.
Vandalism or malicious mischief, where someone intentionally damages a tree causing it to fall and harm your personal property.
“Falling objects,” which can encompass a tree falling due to a covered event, leading to damage to your personal items.

This coverage applies to your personal belongings and can trigger additional living expenses coverage if the dwelling becomes uninhabitable due to the tree incident.

When Tree Damage is Not Covered

Certain scenarios involving tree damage are excluded from standard renters insurance policies. These include:

Damage caused by floods, even if a tree falls due to floodwaters. Separate flood insurance is required for this protection.
Damage from earthquakes, which is excluded and requires a specific earthquake policy or endorsement.
Damage from neglect or poor maintenance. If a tree falls due to pre-existing decay, disease, or a lack of proper care, your renters insurance will not cover the cause of the tree’s fall. Renters insurance covers personal items against sudden, accidental perils, not issues from property upkeep.
Intentional acts by the tenant that lead to a tree falling and causing damage.

Your renters insurance policy does not cover structural damage to the rental building itself, such as damage to the roof or walls from a fallen tree. This responsibility falls to the landlord’s property insurance. Even if damage is covered, you will be responsible for paying your deductible, which typically ranges from $250 to $2,500 for personal property claims.

Steps for Filing a Tree Damage Claim

If you experience tree damage, prioritize safety by avoiding dangerous areas. Once the immediate danger has passed, document the damage to your personal property and the surrounding scene. Take clear photos and videos from multiple angles, noting the date and time. This visual evidence is important for your claim.

Promptly notify your landlord about the tree damage, especially if it affects the dwelling’s structure or makes the property unsafe. Then, contact your insurance company to initiate the claim process. This can be done via phone, online portal, or mobile application. Be prepared to provide detailed information such as your policy number, the date of the loss, and a description of the damage, including a list of damaged items.

Maintain detailed records of all communications with your landlord and insurer, including dates, times, and names. If applicable, keep all receipts related to temporary living expenses covered by your additional living expenses coverage. Cooperate with the insurance adjuster who will assess the damage and determine the claim payout, providing them with all requested information and access.