Will My Homeowners Insurance Cover Preventative Tree Removal? Real Truth

Anything can happen to the beautiful trees in your yard, and because weather can wreak havoc on certain tree species, many people wonder, will my homeowner’s insurance cover preventative tree removal?

What’s the real truth?

Trees are a beautiful and functional addition to any home, but tree diseases, old age, and natural calamities may fell your tree and, in some cases, damage your home or other property.

People turn to homeowners insurance to cover such damages to their homes, but the instances where the tree is the culprit can make it all a little bit complicated.

It’s crucial to understand what exactly home insurance does cover, what happens when it comes to tree removal, and all the circumstances surrounding it.

So, if you’re wondering, will my homeowner’s insurance cover preventative tree removal? The real truth depends on how the policy works and what you can do to deal with damages caused by fallen trees.

How Can Trees Damage Your Property? What Happens When a Tree Falls on House?

Living fences and tree landscaping are the in thing right now, with homeowners planting stunning trees around and inside their homes. The only problem is that trees tend to live long enough, and diseases and old age are quite common.

Other circumstances beyond your control are weather issues like storms and floods that can easily break or uproot your tree, leading to serious damage.

What should you be on the lookout for as a tree owner?

First, trees can fall onto your roof after being knocked over, punching through the roofing material, and you will have to repair your roof.

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Otherwise, you can imagine what will happen in case it is raining and the roof is damaged; water will definitely find its way in and ruin more of your property, not to mention how uncomfortable you’ll get during this period.

Trees can also fall on the sidewalks and driveways, and removal will be the last resort to get cars to move. You are also aware that there is also a serious threat to the service lines, especially when it comes to giant trees.

Your gas and water lines are also in danger of damage if your tree happens to fall off.²

What Is the Cost To Cut Down Tree if You Are Paying Out of Pocket?

Most people know that they have to remove a tree after falling, maybe due to a storm or any other incident. However, did you also know that you are supposed to take tree removal into consideration when you can see that the tree will be a danger?

You can easily see that a tree is too weak, perhaps due to old age or disease, and must cater for its removal as soon as possible.

If there are any costs involved, you are supposed to shoulder all of them, but lucky for you, there are free tree removal services all over the country in various regions, sometimes from logging companies. Although the government has not been involved yet in such programs, some can be found in various states and cities.

As long as your tree meets certain requirements for tree removal,⁹ they will get rid of it for you at absolutely no cost.

For instance, some are clear that the tree must at least be showing signs of illness or death and it should also be maybe 10 inches in diameter and there should be a lot of reason to believe that it is a serious danger to structures nearby. On the other hand, there are also cases where you may land free tree removal in exchange for wood if your tree is of a particular type.

But why? Because some types as you know are very valuable, allowing whoever removes it to sell it for a great deal.

These varieties include Oaks, Magnolias, Banyans, Dogwoods, Willows, Mulberries, Cypresses, and several more that are known for high-quality timber. While there are very clear rules about tree removal, free tree trimming service is more complicated.

It is rare to find a company willing to maintain your tree for free, although you can be able to find really great discounted rates.

Onto the main concern, so what will it cost you to remove a tree in your home if you are paying out of pocket? It all depends on several factors.

For instance, what is the size of the tree? How hard will it be to get rid of?

Has it already fallen? Do you want the entire tree removed or just a few branches?

All in all, the cost of removing a tree that has already fallen is much cheaper, and it may set you back only $75-$150. On the other hand, if you want to remove a tree that is 12 inches wide or less, you may end up parting anything between $150- $400.

However, if you are dealing with giant trees, say 60-100 feet tall and over 20 inches in diameter, you will have to pay the company anything around $900- $1200.

In most places, the average cost is around $750 but in consideration of the factors above.⁸ Companies also have their own rule sets when it comes to how much they charge for their service, but if you want a rough idea of how much you are supposed to pay, you can always use a tree removal cost calculator, which is the most convenient way to determine how much your particular tree will cost to get rid of.

You only have to enter details about it and let the software handle the rest.

What Is the Tree Debris Removal Cost?

What if your tree has just been knocked down after a storm? Or imagine the tree is diseased, weak, or old and has suddenly dropped to the ground, you will have to call in experts to help remove it from our compound.

Luckily, this is way cheaper than removing an entire tree, unless it means dealing with a stump, which will obviously cost you more.

The factors determining the cost to have tree debris removed are more or less the same as the cost of tree removal. Basically, the rate will also depend on how large the debris is and how hectic the job is going to be, say if there is a lot of debris scattered all around the compound that has to be collected first.¹⁰

Some companies will charge you by each and every hour, and the rate can be anything between $15-$20, for one hour, but of course, other factors are considered. In most cases, you may find yourself parting with around $75-$250 for every job.

What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover? (Will My Homeowners Insurance Cover Preventative Tree Removal?)

Now that you have seen how much it actually costs you to get a tree removed or clear its debris from your land, you can’t help but wonder, will my homeowner’s insurance cover preventative tree removal?

Before tackling that, it is very essential to first address what homeowners insurance is and why it is a top priority for virtually everyone that owns a home.

To put it very simply, homeowners insurance covers almost everything in regard to protecting your home and everything in it, that is in case of any damages. What is included on the cover?

(Image: Jörg¹⁹)

Everything. Be it your furniture, appliances, clothes, and sometimes other buildings in your compound like sheds and garages.

So what does the insurance protect you from?

Fires, theft, or any other damages that may be a result of vandalism or bad weather. There is quite a lot more in matters of homeowner’s insurance, because it may also cover your medical expenses in case you get harmed in the process.

Therefore, it is very important to learn all the ins and outs of the particular policy that you have signed up for. What is included in the cover and what is not, how do you file for it, and what do you do if your claim, unfortunately, gets rejected?

Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal?

It is a pretty broad subject when you get down to the question of who is responsible for fallen tree removal. There are so many factors that come to play to decide who will cover the cost, either you or your homeowner’s insurance.

However, in general, it is expected that the homeowner is the one responsible for any damages that are caused by a tree, it is their property after all.

If the tree falls and damages your property or that of your neighbor, you are the one liable and should be the one to pay. The only advantage is if you have insurance coverage because the company will have to take up the costs.

However, and most importantly, the tree must have fallen as a result of a loss that is included in the cover and the second rule is that the damages must be on a structure or home that was fully covered.¹

Are Trees Covered By Insurance? What Are the Rules?

Home insurance is definitely a lifesaver and comes in handy when you need it the most. In the case of covering trees, great news for you as a homeowner because the policies tend to cover all the trees and plants that are on your land.

Damages that occur to it will be handled by the insurance company under exceptional circumstances.¹¹

It is not just coverage of the tree damage, but the insurance is also able to cover tree removal. Say a tree or one of its branches falls onto your house or other outbuildings, your homeowner’s insurance should cater to that.

However, the insurer will have to investigate what happened first because sometimes, the reason why the tree fell may not be covered.

Simply put, the removal costs will only be taken into consideration by the insurer if and only if it fell due to reasons beyond your control, say bad weather elements such as hail storms, windstorms, lightning, excessive weight caused by snow, vandalism, or any other as listed on your personal policy.

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On the contrary, there are some cases where the tree will not be covered by insurance. Most policies do not cover tree damage caused by earthquakes and floods.

In addition to that, your claim may also be denied if the tree or parts of it fell due to diseases, rotting, or as a result of poor maintenance.

Will My Homeowners Insurance Cover Preventative Tree Removal?

Can you clearly see that your tree is in danger of falling? Maybe it’s too old, has been suffering from a disease for a while now, or it appears that it is rotting in most parts?

Then that means that you and your property are in danger. The tree could fall at any time and cause catastrophic damage.

That is why you should be thinking about preventative tree removal.

Of course, it is going to cost you, which explains your most burning question, will my homeowner’s insurance cover preventative tree removal? Well, not exactly.

If you are sure that your tree is in a precarious position, and will probably be dangerous, then it is entirely upon you to take care of it before that happens.

The best way to go is to start making arrangements to have it removed because a dangerously hanging tree is a ticking bomb that you don’t want to go off. But why is it not usually included on the cover?

Most insurers will exclude that, citing negligence from you as the owner of the tree. This only means that you should take the necessary steps sooner rather than later when the damage is already done.

Will Homeowners Insurance Cover Tree Removal of Fallen Trees After a Storm?

If you live in a region that is prone to severe storms, you quite know the feeling of worrying about your property being safe. You also know what a tree struck by lightning looks like that is if it has not yet fallen over.

It hangs dangerously loose and can launch directly on your roof, car, outbuilding, or any other property. So, are you covered by your insurance in case your tree falls off after a storm?

Will they have it removed for you?

The answer is a bit complicated because insurers tend to take into account where the tree actually landed and its condition, that is, whether it was entirely uprooted. If the tree being struck by lightning leads to mere damage that leaves it still intact or still standing,¹² then they will not take care of that.

When that happens, you will go back to the previous case of preventative tree removal.

Because at this point, the tree is not a danger to your home, and it is now up to you to deal with it before gravity or another storm completely falls the tree. In addition to that, if the storm finished the job and uprooted your tree but it fell on the ground with no casualties or damages whatsoever, then that is also not covered by your insurance.

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But wait, people are always filing claims when their tree falls after a storm. Is there an exceptional case where homeowners insurance will bear the costs?

Yes. If, in the process, the tree fell onto the property and damaged it, then the company will be liable.⁵

If the tree fell onto your roof or porch because it was struck by lightning or blown over after a storm, the insurer will handle the costs.

Will Homeowners Insurance Cover Cutting Down a Tree?

There are several reasons why you would want to have your tree cut down. Maybe it’s getting too close to the power lines, or it is in bad shape, threatening to fall off at any particular instance.

It could be for personal reasons or a preventive measure to keep you and your property safe, but either way, unfortunately, your homeowner’s insurance will not cover it.

This will be deemed as a personal decision or tree maintenance that you are supposed to deal with and pay for out of pocket. Your claim will be rejected if your tree was dying or was in danger of falling.

You cannot contact the insurer, asking them to pay for the cost of the tree removal.

To be more exact, the company will only be liable for the removal if the tree has damaged your property and that is only if the cause of falling or breaking is as a result of a covered peril. Basically, if you have covered your tree against a storm and it is uprooted, damaging property in the process, the company will bear virtually all the costs of cleaning up the debris and removing the tree, and you won’t have to pay anything for all that.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Rotting Wood or Diseased Tree Removal?

This is another tricky concept for homeowners who can’t help but ask, will the homeowner’s insurance cover tree damage due to rotting or diseases? The simple answer is no, and there is a logical explanation as to why they exclude it from the coverage.

In these two cases of wood rot and diseases, the insurers tend to argue that these are issues that happen over time.

A tree gradually starts rotting, and it is upon the homeowner to check that and care for the tree to stop the condition from progressing.¹³

The same case actually applies to diseases; at the first attack, the owner is expected to prevent it from reaching the point where the tree has to be cut down because it has escalated to become a danger to nearby property.

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That is why it is vital to check for any distress signs from your tree and in case of diseases, make care and maintenance a priority.

Otherwise, you will end up paying a lot more to get the damaged tree removed because that will be a question of, will my homeowners insurance cover preventative tree removal? And the answer is no.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Tree Damage?

If you have many trees in your yard, you will have to discuss certain things with your insurance company. One of the items that should be in discussion is what happens when there is damage to a tree.

Which damages will be included and which ones will not; that is why it is paramount to carefully review the policy.

So, will homeowners insurance cover tree damage? Sometimes yes and sometimes no, and it all depends on the policy, what the company included in the cover, and what it omitted.

For instance, if the storm is a covered peril and the tree gets damaged after a night of severe rainstorm, the company will take charge of the debris and tree removal.⁴ Therefore, it will all depend on the policy’s structure and the company’s rules.

Will My Homeowners Insurance Cover Preventative Tree Removal of a Tree With Root Damage?

One thing that you should know about all insurance companies is that their covers are based on sudden losses. Regardless of the policy or the company you go for, it always stays the same.

That is the same principle when dealing with trees with root damage. Anything that happens to a tree over a long period of time, root damage in this case, is not considered a sudden loss.

The insurer will claim that the damage happened over a long period of time, and that should have been a tree maintenance case. According to insurers, homeowners have quite a lot of time to get that handled, which is the main basis for leaving it out of the coverage.

That falls under the same bracket as preventative tree removal because they will label that as neglect on your part, unfortunately.

But root damage is serious. That may be one of your main concerns.

It is true because roots have the potential to displace the soil, make it dry out, and in some cases, interfere with water pipes and house foundations. But still, root damage is still not covered in most, if not all homeowner’s insurance policies.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Tree Damage to Neighbor’s Property?

The tree in your yard is likely to fall and damage your property, but what if the property in question belongs to your neighbor? Because there is a very high chance that the tree will fall on either side, and it may find its way onto your neighbor’s house.¹⁴

In this case, who will be liable to pay for the damages caused?

There are two ways to look at this. One, if the tree was in perfect condition and the main and only reason for falling is due to a storm or a covered peril, then it will be a relief for you.

(Image: Artur Pawlak²³)

It was totally out of your control, and in this case, your neighbor will have to take it up with their insurance company to get it handled. Their policy will pay for the damages.

On the other hand, the responsibility will automatically shift to you in special cases. Although you have no hand in it, the rules are clear about preventative tree removal.

If your tree was rotting, diseased, or generally weak, and you knew about it and didn’t get it removed, that will be ruled over as negligence.

It is upon you to handle the trees that are a threat to you or your neighbor’s property. As a matter of fact, your neighbor can be able to sue you for negligence which led to their loss of property, and you will be forced to pay for everything.³

Will My Homeowners Insurance Cover Damage Caused by Tree Falling on Car?

Just from the name, you can tell that homeowner’s insurance is all about protecting your house and everything in it. Obviously, your car is outside this scope and will in no way be covered by the insurance.

The policy will not be responsible for conducting any repairs on your car, even if the tree fell as a result of a covered peril.

Luckily, there is a way around that because that is what auto insurance basically does. If a tree falls on your car, any tree, whether yours or your neighbors, you will have to contact your car insurance to take care of the repairs.

The only case where your homeowner’s insurance will come in is when the tree needs removal. That is if it falls on your land or driveway due to a covered peril that will definitely be dealt with.

Can I Sue My Neighbor if His Dead Tree Falls on My House?

If your neighbor’s tree falls onto your yard, but there are no damages, it just fell on an empty space, the tree may be your responsibility to remove. If you have a caring neighbor, they may offer to split the cost with you, and you won’t have to shoulder all the costs on your own.

Still, if the tree fell and is now blocking driveways, your homeowner’s insurance will gladly take up the costs.

The only problem comes in when the tree falls and causes damage to your property, say it landed on your roof, and it requires replacement. This is a whole new scenario, and it means spending quite a lot of money on renovations.

If your neighbor has taken up a homeowner’s insurance they and the tree fell as a result of a covered peril, their insurer will foot the bills for you.

(Image: John Cameron²⁴)

On the other hand and very importantly you can be able to sue your neighbor for damages if you strongly believe that the tree fell purely as a result of negligence.¹⁵ If the tree was suffering a severe disease, was too old, or was already previously damaged and was almost falling anyway, you are liable to compensation on the grounds of your neighbor being negligent.

There is only one problem, negligence of your neighbor can be pretty tricky to prove. The only way that you can make sure that you have an airtight case is if you two had previously had a conversation about the tree being hazardous and your neighbor did nothing about it.

You will be sure to win if you already asked for removal or even got a letter of proof from a professional that the tree should be removed as soon as possible.

Should You Apply for Tree Insurance?

It is understandable to be on the fence when it comes to asking your insurance company to cover incidents of tree damage. It can be a tad bit complicated going back and forth about what the covered perils are and whether what has happened is worth the compensation, but there is one single thing to consider, how much it will all cost you.

Tree removal costs and the price of home renovations don’t come cheap. Maybe your savings will not be able to cover all the costs and you will need some help and this is where the insurer comes in.

Besides, isn’t that the whole point of insuring anything? For the company to foot bills that you are having trouble affording?

Therefore, you can see that applying is the best way to go to be safe from all the costs involved.

What Are the Tree Service Insurance Requirements?

You are aware by now of how dangerous tree service is. That is why you would opt for professionals to handle anything to do with trimming and cutting down massive trees.

Possibly anything could happen in the process, and the tree service company has to be prepared for anything, that is why they take up business insurance to protect themselves.

They want to avoid having to deal with massive liabilities and lawsuits. Therefore, insurance helps them afford the financial and legal aspects of everything, from accidents to injuries and damage to property.

If you have a tree service company, you will realize that there are different types of policies that you can take up.

All you need in order to apply is all the details about your company. For example, what is your revenue?

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How many employees do you currently have? And other questions of the sort.

Getting a policy can always be done online and within a few minutes. Just make your comparison based on various quotes, pick a suitable one, and pay for it, and you should have your certificate of insurance in no time.

How To File a Tree Insurance Claim

If you are looking to file a tree insurance claim, be sure to do that as soon as you can because delay increases the chances of it being denied.⁷ The are so many rules involved when filing for compensation,¹⁶ and the following are the certain steps that you are supposed to take when filing your insurance claim:

1. First and foremost, of course, you will contact your insurer and disclose what happened because notifying them early gives you a better chance of getting compensation.
2. One step that many fail to understand is the fact that they need picture proof, which will go a long way during the investigation process. You should take a picture immediately at the scene before anything is tampered with, even before cleaning up any debris.
3. When you are in urgent need of contractors, it is so easy to fall prey to scammers and frauds. That is why any professional knocking at your door should definitely have a license and insurance certificates.
4. You are also supposed to do anything you can to avoid more damage to your property. But while at it, avoid any permanent solutions so as to leave the job to the insurer.

How To Verify Tree Service Insurance: Insurance Tree Service

Whichever tree service you need, the contractor is supposed to have liability insurance and compensation for workers. This also protects you in case anything happens and the best part is that professionals are usually happy to show you that they have been insured whenever you ask.

You can, of course, start by asking about the type of insurance they have and which company it is from. You are allowed to call the insurer directly to confirm or even go ahead to ask that they produce their insurance certificate.

This way, you are sure that you are prepared for any eventualities caused by the tree service.

Will My Homeowners Insurance Cover Preventative Tree Removal? How To Be Sure

Each and every policy is different, and that is why you need to check to be very sure that you are not missing anything. Tree removal is a little complex when it comes to insurance because sometimes it’s covered and sometimes it’s not and you will have to understand what your insurer’s stand is in the whole matter.

If you are not sure whether the tree removal is covered, you know that you can always call your agent to confirm. Taking a picture or video as proof also does the trick to avoid any loopholes and give the insurer the exact account of what happened to defend your claim.

The evidence may later on come in handy when pleading your case and seeking compensation. However, if by any chance your claim is denied, you are also free to make an appeal in accordance with the insurance company’s guidelines, but before you do that, you should make sure that you have read your policy carefully and are certain that you have a shot at winning.

How Do You Prevent Tree Damage on Your Home in Future?

Trees can fall by accident, and there are chances that they will cause damage to your property. That is why you need to always be prepared for anything to avoid such cases.

The best and only way that you can ensure that your house, car, and other properties are safe is by conducting routine care and maintenance of your tree.¹⁷

By doing so, you are likely to notice diseases when they first strike and can avoid cases like rotting and severe infections that can kill your tree. You should always be on the lookout for cracks in the branches and trunk and any splits that can weaken the tree.

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Secondly, if by any chance you notice that the branches of the tree are hanging loose, you should have them safely removed as soon as possible. Another serious danger may also manifest as hollowness or decay in the tree, and when you notice any threatening condition that will likely cause your tree to fall at any instance, you would rather have professionals remove it as soon as possible.⁶

Homeowners insurance is a lifesaver. It explains why countless homeowners have taken it up and it has proven to be very handy because anything can happen to your home and property, and you have to be prepared when it happens.

Taking it insures your house and everything inside it, including outbuildings like sheds and garages.

The tricky part comes in when talking about tree insurance. The company is supposed to cover the removal of trees that have fallen in your home and possibly damaged property as long as the cause of the falling is covered.

For instance, you will be compensated if your tree gets struck down during a storm and that is listed as a covered peril. However, the case is different in some cases.

Therefore, if you are asking, will my homeowners insurance cover preventative tree removal, the answer is maybe: it all depends on the policy you took with your insurance company and the cause of the tree removal, among other factors.

Frequently Asked Questions About Will My Homeowners Insurance Cover Preventative Tree Removal