What To Do If You Have A Fallen Tree, Including Filing Insurance Claims
As Atlanta soon enters the hurricane season (June 1 through Nov. 30), there are on average about seven hurricanes per season. With these strong winds, often trees are seen either broken over or uprooted. If you experience a fallen tree on your property, what should you do? Will your insurance company pay for the damage and have the tree removed?
The answer is dependent on a number of factors:
A homeowner’s insurance policy generally will protect your home and other structures, a fence or a shed for example, against wind damage caused by a falling tree. But what caused the tree to fall in important to understand. If the tree was healthy, then your home homeowner’s insurance should likely pay for repairs to structure on your property as well as covering the removal of the fallen tree or branches.
However, homeowner’s insurance often will not cover a loss caused by a tree maintenance issue. If the tree was dead and rotting before the wind storm, homeowner’s insurance likely will not cover the damage the tree caused to your property.
If you have any concerns about the health of your trees, please call Northside Tree Professionals at 770-394-0905 for a free tree evaluation.
If a fallen tree obstructs a driveway or home entrance for the disabled, your insurance may pay to remove the tree. Otherwise, unless your policy has an endorsement covering such items, your homeowner’s insurance won’t likely cover tree removal.
What if the tree falls from my neighbor’s yard onto my property?
If your home or other structure on your property is damaged by your neighbor’s tree, generally your homeowner’s insurance may help pay for the repairs. In Georgia, it is your responsibility to take care of the tree damage to your property. Your insurer might pursue the neighbor’s insurer to recover the repair cost and your deductible may be reimbursed.
If you notify your neighbor in writing of a dead or bad leaning tree on their property that may impact your home, cars or buildings if it falls, then you should send a letter in writing to the neighbor stating that concern. It then becomes the neighbor’s responsibility as to the damage. Talk to your insurance agent for more detailed information.
Please contact Northside Tree Professionals at 770-394-0905 to have us remove a fallen tree on your property.
What if a tree falls in the yard and doesn’t damage any structures? Home insurance typically doesn’t cover tree removal unless it falls on a structure. In this case you would have to pay for its removal.
Finally, any damage to your vehicle would be covered by the comprehensive section of your automobile insurance policy.
Whatever the damage, remember that you will usually pay your deductible before your insurer will begin to pay for a covered loss.