Who is Responsible if a Tree Falls on Your Home?

The wind is howling and you hear the trees snapping in the distance. As the storm moves closer, you can hear the branches breaking loose from the trees around your home. You're worried about what will happen if that tree falls on your house and damages it. While keeping your family safe should be your first concern, you also may be worried about paying for the damage associated from a fallen tree or large-sized branch. But if you have home insurance, your risks are lower in terms of financial loss.

The Tree Falls on Your Property

A variety of scenarios can play out in many neighborhoods. Whether your insurance provider will pay for the loss or not depends on the details of the incident. If the tree is in your yard and it falls on your home, then it’s likely that your home insurance plan can cover the losses. Keep in mind, this peril is likely to apply when a sudden and accidental incident occurs. That is, if you could have prevented it through proper maintenance, then it may not be covered by your insurer.

In a covered incident, your home insurance can pay for damages to your property caused by the tree as well as cleanup and removal of the debris.

What if There's No Damage?

If the tree falls and doesn't strike your home, but still needs to be cut up and removed, your home insurance is not likely to pay for this. Because there is no damage to the home or your property, the home insurance isn't likely to apply. Rather, you will need to pay for cleanup like this on your own.

What if It's Your Neighbor's Tree?

If your neighbor's tree falls on your home, it's still best to contact your home insurance provider. They can help you to determine who is required to pay for the losses. In general, it’s often the home insurance of the person that owns the tree.

It's important to conduct thorough and proper maintenance of your trees. Trees that fall, even in a storm, because of improper maintenance may not be covered by your home insurance policy. In other cases, you won’t have to worry about those tree branches snapping in the wind.