If a Tree Falls, Who Pays?
Christie D. Lightfoot, Senior Vice President, Univest Insurance, Inc.
Many trees fell in our area during
Hurricane Sandy, leaving a lot of people
to ask: who is responsible for the cost of cleaning them up and
repairing any damage? Here is a general summary of what your
homeowners insurance may or may not cover.
- If a tree falls and does NOT hit another structure, your homeowners insurance will NOT cover the clean up and disposal of the tree.
- If a tree falls and DOES hit another insured structure, damage to the structure would be covered, subject to the policy deductible. In addition, there may be minimal coverage for clean up and disposal of the tree.
- If a tree from your property falls on your neighbor's house, your neighbor's homeowners policy is responsible and your neighbor should file a claim with his or her insurance company. If a neighbor's tree falls on your home, then your insurance would cover the damage and you would need to file a claim. However, if the fallen tree was poorly maintained or diseased and no steps were made to take care of it, the insurer may seek reimbursement for the damages from the property owner where the tree originally stood.
To learn more about your policy or additional coverage options, speak with a Univest Insurance advisor today at 800-220-3077 or insurance@univest.net.
Insurance products are offered through Univest Insurance, Inc. and are obligations of the issuing insurance companies, are not obligations or deposits of or guaranteed by any bank and are not insured by the FDIC or any other agency of the United States. Insurance products are not a condition to any bank loan, product or service. Univest Insurance, Inc. is a licensed subsidiary of Univest Corporation of Pennsylvania.