A Storm, A Fallen Limb, And A Question Mark
A windstorm recently whipped through your neighborhood and sent several large branches from a tree on your property crashing onto your next-door neighbor’s roof. She then hired repairs and sent you a bill for the full cost. But when you checked with your own home insurance, you were shocked to discover it won’t cover the damage. Now you’re left wondering if you owe hundreds of dollars out of pocket — or if the storm, rather than negligence, was to blame.
How Fallen Trees And Branches Are Usually Handled
When limbs break off in a storm, the question of who pays depends largely on why the tree fell and what your insurance policy says about acts of nature. Most home-owners’ insurance policies cover sudden, unexpected damage from storms, including fallen trees hitting structures, but only if the damage is caused by an event the policy covers. If your tree simply toppled due to age or rot, insurers may treat it differently.
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Acts Of Nature Vs. Negligence
In insurance speak, there’s a big difference between an “act of God” and negligence. If the windstorm was truly unpredictable and the tree was otherwise in a healthy condition, most insurers treat that as an act of nature, and expect each homeowner to file with their own policy for damage to their own property. That means your neighbor would typically file a claim with her own insurer; you shouldn’t have to file with yours.
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Why Your Insurance Might Deny Coverage
Insurance companies scrutinize fallen tree claims carefully. They look at photos, the state of the tree before the storm, and whether visible signs like rot, disease, or poor maintenance existed. If they decide that a dangerous tree was left to stand without pruning or removal, they may deny coverage as a maintenance exclusion…