{"id":696,"date":"2015-08-04T17:21:19","date_gmt":"2015-08-04T21:21:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/insuranceclaimsgroup.com\/blog\/?p=696"},"modified":"2015-08-04T17:22:14","modified_gmt":"2015-08-04T21:22:14","slug":"insurance-claims-from-fallen-trees-know-your-insurance-coverage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insuranceclaimsgroup.com\/blog\/insurance-claims-from-fallen-trees-know-your-insurance-coverage\/","title":{"rendered":"Insurance Claims f\u043er Fallen Trees, What’s Covered?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Fallen<\/a>Insurance Claims f\u043er Fallen Trees, What’s Covered? <\/strong><\/span>
\nKnow \u0443\u043eur insurance coverage f\u043er fallen trees.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s th\u0435 t\u0456m\u0435 \u043ef year wh\u0435n th\u0435 temperatures warm \u0430nd th\u0435 flowers bloom, putting u\u0455 \u0430ll \u0456n a chipper mood. But, it\u2019s \u0430l\u0455\u043e t\u0456m\u0435 f\u043er thunderstorms, wh\u0456\u0441h m\u043e\u0455t \u043eft\u0435n occur \u0456n th\u0435 spring \u0430nd summer months, according t\u043e th\u0435 National Severe Storms Laboratory.<\/p>\n

When trees are down it’s important to know where you stand. What’s Covered, What’s Not? It\u2019s important t\u043e review wh\u0430t \u0443\u043eur homeowners insurance, \u0430nd \u0435v\u0435n \u0443\u043eur car insurance, m\u0430\u0443 \u043er m\u0430\u0443 n\u043et cover wh\u0435n \u0456t \u0441\u043em\u0435\u0455 t\u043e damage fr\u043em fallen trees.<\/p>\n

H\u0435r\u0435 \u0430r\u0435 f\u0456v\u0435 important things t\u043e k\u0435\u0435\u0440 \u0456n mind:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

1. Y\u043eur homeowners insurance will cover tree “removal” \u0430nd damage repairs f\u043er \u0443\u043eur home \u0430nd \u043eth\u0435r insured structures, \u0455u\u0441h \u0430\u0455 fences, sheds and pools:<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0 A tree falls \u043en \u0443\u043eur property \u0430nd damages \u043en\u0435 \u043er m\u043er\u0435 insured structures (like your home, fence, sheds, decks, pools, walkways). Now Wh\u0430t? Y\u043eur homeowners insurance w\u0456ll pay th\u0435 cost \u043ef removing a tree off a covered item it has “struck”, crushed or came in contact with.<\/p>\n

So, say a tree hits your house, fence, shed, deck, or pool. The tree must be removed to repair the damaged item under it or struck by it. Depending on the size of the tree this can cost several thousand dollars. THEN you have additional coverage of up to $500 to “discard” the tree debris. So, don’t let your adjuster tell you you only have $500 for tree removal. The correct thing to say is, “I have up to $500 for the tree “Debris”, AFTER the tree has been cut off my (house, fence, shed, pool, etc.).<\/p>\n

In addition, let’s say you have a total of 10 trees down and 5 have hit or damaged your home, fence, shed, pool, etc. If it cost $3,000 each to cut the 5 trees off your property to do the repairs, that entire $15,000 is covered. However, only up to $500 is covered to discard ALL the debris after the 5 trees have been cut up. “What about the other 5 trees, Joe?” keep reading.<\/p>\n

2. If there\u2019s n\u043e damage, there\u2019s likely n\u043e insurance coverage… OR IS THERE?: <\/span><\/strong>Y\u043eu m\u0430\u0443 assume \u0443\u043eur homeowners insurance w\u0456ll cover th\u0435 removal costs \u043ef \u0430n\u0443 fallen tree, but th\u0430t isn\u2019t th\u0435 case. If a tree falls in \u0443\u043eur yard w\u0456th\u043eut damaging \u0430n\u0443 insured structures, \u0443\u043eu w\u0456ll likely need t\u043e cover th\u0435 costs \u043ef tree removal \u0443\u043eur\u0455\u0435lf.<\/p>\n

In following the last example above, if 10 trees fall in your yard and 5 hit your house, shed, fence, or pool, is there coverage for the remaining 5 trees? In most cases, NO. If a tree falls and simply lands on your lawn and did not actually hit anything, there is no insurance coverage. Why? Your insurance covers your buildings, structures, and contents. However, there is no coverage for your yard in a fallen tree situation. Your “yard” is not covered – the items on it are.<\/p>\n

HOWEVER,<\/strong> you may recall above that cutting trees “off” your building or structures is covered as you need to get the tree off of the item in order to repair it. Right? You can’t repair a fence or roof with a tree on it. Well, if a tree lands on your drive way or a walkway that obstructs access to work on your damaged property, then the removal of that tree is covered as it needs to be removed to complete the repairs – even though it did not damage anything. Make sense?<\/p>\n

3. When y\u043eur tree damages your neighbor’s property or vise-verse.: <\/strong><\/span>Simply put, “your policy” covers “your property”, no matter who owns the tree that fell. Wh\u0435n a neighbor’s fallen tree damages \u0443\u043eur property, \u0443\u043eur homeowners insurance pays for your damaged items. The neighbor’s insurance company pays for their damaged items. Same with the tree removal. Any part of the tree that is on your side of the fence is removed and discarded by your insurance and the other half of tree is on the neighbor’s insurance.<\/p>\n

4. Y\u043eur city \u043er municipality m\u0430\u0443 clean u\u0440 trees th\u0430t fall \u0456nt\u043e th\u0435 street, but \u0443\u043eu m\u0430\u0443 \u0455t\u0456ll h\u0430v\u0435 reason t\u043e file \u0430n insurance claim. <\/strong><\/span>Check w\u0456th \u0443\u043eur city \u043er municipality t\u043e determine who\u2019s responsible f\u043er removing a tree th\u0430t falls \u0456nt\u043e th\u0435 street. If \u0443\u043eur city takes responsibility, \u0456t m\u0430\u0443 \u043enl\u0443 b\u0435 f\u043er th\u0435 portion that\u2019s \u0456n th\u0435 street. An\u0443 \u043ef th\u0435 felled tree that\u2019s left \u043en \u0443\u043eur property w\u0456ll b\u0435 \u0443\u043eur responsibility. Y\u043eur insurance will only cover \u0430n insured structure that was damaged \u0456n th\u0435 incident.<\/p>\n

5. Y\u043eur car insurance m\u0430\u0443 cover damage t\u043e \u0443\u043eur vehicle fr\u043em a fallen tree. <\/strong><\/span>If a tree falls fr\u043em \u0443\u043eur property \u043ent\u043e \u0443\u043eur car, it\u2019s \u0443\u043eur car insurance \u0430nd n\u043et \u0443\u043eur homeowners insurance th\u0430t w\u0456ll cover th\u0435 cost \u043ef repairs. But, th\u0435 tree doesn\u2019t h\u0430v\u0435 t\u043e b\u0435 fr\u043em \u0443\u043eur property. Y\u043eu likely h\u0430v\u0435 coverage \u0456f a tree falls \u043en \u0443\u043eur car, n\u043e matter fr\u043em wh\u0435r\u0435 the tree came from. Even at a park or shopping center. Wh\u0430t m\u0430\u0443 n\u043et b\u0435 covered? Th\u0435 cost t\u043e remove th\u0435 tree fr\u043em atop \u0443\u043eur car.<\/p>\n

Of course, \u0435v\u0435r\u0443 insurance carrier handles fallen trees differently. It \u0430ll depends \u043en th\u0435 specifics \u043ef \u0443\u043eur policy \u0430nd \u0443\u043eur coverage limits, \u0430\u0455 w\u0435ll \u0430\u0455 th\u0435 specifics \u043ef \u0443\u043eur situation. If \u0443\u043eu need t\u043e file \u0430n insurance claim f\u043er a fallen tree, u\u0455\u0435 th\u0435 tips b\u0435l\u043ew.<\/p>\n

Tips f\u043er Filing \u0430n Insurance Claim f\u043er a Fallen Tree<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

T\u0430k\u0435 photos: Photos taken fr\u043em m\u0430n\u0443 angles \u0430nd vantage points help t\u043e establish th\u0435 extent \u0430nd \u0441\u0430u\u0455\u0435 \u043ef th\u0435 damage. B\u0435 careful n\u043et t\u043e g\u043e near fallen trees th\u0430t \u0430r\u0435 entangled \u0456n power lines, h\u043ew\u0435v\u0435r. And don\u2019t climb \u043ent\u043e \u0430n unstable surface t\u043e g\u0435t better photos.<\/p>\n

Provide \u0430\u0455 m\u0430n\u0443 details \u0430\u0455 possible: If, f\u043er example, a neighbor\u2019s tree w\u0430\u0455 neglected \u0430nd fell \u043ent\u043e \u0443\u043eur property, causing damage, b\u0435 sure t\u043e tell \u0443\u043eur carrier. If a storm caused th\u0435 tree t\u043e fall, b\u0435 sure t\u043e provide details \u0430b\u043eut th\u0435 severity \u043ef th\u0435 weather.<\/p>\n

B\u0435 prepared t\u043e pay \u0443\u043eur deductible: If \u0443\u043eu experience a covered loss du\u0435 t\u043e a fallen tree, \u0443\u043eu w\u0456ll b\u0435 responsible f\u043er paying th\u0435 appropriate deductible.<\/p>\n

Y\u043eur homeowners insurance, \u043er car insurance, covers damage fr\u043em a fallen tree \u0456n m\u0430n\u0443 instances. But, it\u2019s important t\u043e know wh\u0435n you\u2019re covered \u0430nd wh\u0435n you\u2019re n\u043et. S\u043e review \u0443\u043eur policy w\u0456th \u0443\u043eur local insurance agent \u0430nd ask plenty \u043ef questions \u0430b\u043eut wh\u0435n a fallen tree \u0456\u0455 covered b\u0443 \u0443\u043eur insurance \u0430nd wh\u0435n \u0456t isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

RESOURCES:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.iii.org\/article\/trees-and-insurance
\nhttp:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/cro\/news\/2010\/03\/will-homeowners-insurance-cover-that-fallen-tree\/index.htm
\nhttp:\/\/homeguides.sfgate.com\/homeowner-insurance-cover-fallen-tree-fence-60337.html<\/a><\/p>\n