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Does Home Insurance Cover Fallen Trees?

does home insurance cover fallen trees
does home insurance cover fallen trees
Nov 18 2022 4 min read

While falling branches and trees have the potential to wreak havoc on your property at any time of the year, it’s particularly an issue during extreme weather events like the ice and wind storms that those of us in southern Ontario are all too familiar with.

DOES HOME INSURANCE COVER FALLING BRANCHES AND TREES?

Good news!

Home insurance does cover falling branches and/or trees on your property under the insured peril of falling objects.

The fall could be caused by wind or a lightning strike, both of which are also insured perils under a homeowner’s policy.

WHAT SPECIFICALLY DOES HOME INSURANCE COVER?

Practically anything located on your property will be covered by your home insurance in the event of falling tree damage, including:

  • Home (including roof, siding and eavestroughs)
  • Deck
  • Garage
  • Fence
  • Pool
  • Shed
  • Other outbuildings

Your policy deductible will apply to repairs of the resulting damage.

WHAT IF THE FALLEN TREE CAME FROM MY NEIGHBOUR’S PROPERTY?

Regardless of whose property the tree is located on, whether it’s on your own or a neighbour’s, damage caused by the fallen tree can be covered by your home insurance.

If your neighbour’s tree that fell on your property was dead and the neighbour was aware of it, you could have reasonable cause for your insurer to subrogate back against the neighbour’s liability insurance for negligence on their part.

home insurance and fallen trees

HOW TO TELL WHEN A TREE OR BRANCH IS ABOUT TO FALL

Those who have the most experience dealing with branches and trees often come to the same conclusion in terms of the most obvious sign of tree decay.

“The clearest sign that a branch is ready to come down is when it’s missing leaves and bark. “
– Mike Audit, Audits Tree Stump Removal

Another sure sign of tree decay that is easy to spot with the naked eye is deep cracks in the trunk itself.

“If there are deep cracks in the trunk, take care of the tree before it’s too late.”
Hedge King

When it comes to entire trees, one tip is to be on the lookout for mushrooms growing out of the trunk of the tree as this usually indicates rot inside the tree. If you see mushrooms, it might be time for the tree to be taken down!

When in doubt, reach out to a professional arbourist who can use their trained eye to inspect your tree and provide their best recommendation.

HOW TO AVOID DAMAGE CAUSED BY FALLING BRANCHES?

The simplest answer is probably the most obvious answer; eliminate the threat.

This can be done by either trimming away any branches that overhang structures on your property (including your fence) or simply removing the tree entire

While simple and effective this may not be the best answer for your situation.

  • What if there is value to keeping the tree in the form of shade, privacy or wind protection?
  • What if there is a sentimental attachment to the tree since it’s where your kids used to climb and play?
  • What if it’s a particularly old and gorgeous tree that no one wants to see go?

If removing the tree is not feasible or desired there are some other possible options, you can try to reduce the risk of falling tree damage.

HOW TO PROTECT A TREE FROM DAMAGE

Whenever a tree suffers damage, it has an increased chance of developing rot.

This could be as minor as a landscape contractor cutting too close with a weed whacker or as significant as destroying a large portion of the tree’s roots with a trencher.

Every blow to the tree’s health weakens it and increases the chances of it coming down the next time it storms.

Keep your tree strong by preventing damage.

MAINTAIN YOUR TREES

The folks at TreeDoctor.ca provide several important tips when it comes to the proper maintenance of trees:

  • Prune your trees evenly so they have good wind resistance from all sides
  • Make sure to remove branches that have grown upwards like extra trunks
  • Avoid over-watering and over-fertilizing to help ensure the tree grows in proper proportions

CONSIDER MOVING YOUR TREE

Now, this might not be feasible in most situations but it’s an option worth considering for some.

If you have a small/young enough tree and a large enough property you could have the tree moved to a location where it will be less of a risk to structures no matter how big it eventually gets.

We all love trees here in Ontario, so much so that some municipalities have programs to help encourage the healthy fostering of community trees such as the Niagara On The Lake Witness Tree Program.

Other cities in Niagara are looking to put more of an emphasis on tree preservation thanks to urging from the likes of the Biodiversity and Climate Action Committee Niagara.
Avoiding damage to our home is just one of many reasons we should all strive to keep trees healthy and strong!

Erie Mutual Insurance proudly serves the commercial insurance, farm insurance, home insurance and auto insurance needs of members throughout Southern Ontario including Haldimand, Niagara and Hamilton.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have about this or any other topic related to your insurance.

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