If a Tree Falls and There's No One There to Hear it
If a tree falls and there's no one there to hear it, does it make a noise? And is it covered by insurance? Well, we all know the answer to the first question by now, but the second is a lot more confusing. The simple answer is, only if it damages your real property. On most homeowners insurance policies, if a tree falls on your fence, garage, or house (or any other structure of personal property of yours), the damage to the property is covered. The removal of the tree (also known as "debris removal") may or may not be covered, and may have a special limit attached, depending on your insurance carrier and the endorsements you have purchased. If a tree falls in your yard, and does not do any damage, most likely you will have to pay the cost to remove the tree. You may have purchased special coverage for this type of loss, in which case you may receive at least partial payment from your insurance carrier. I have also heard of rare occasions when, because of a major catastrophe, such as a hurricane, insurance carriers have been more generous in their willingness to pay for tree removal. Now, here's the really confusing part. What if it's not your tree? What if your neighbor's tree falls on your fence, house, or garage? The natural tendency may be to blame your neighbor, and expect him (or his insurance company, since you don't want to be enemies with your neighbor) to pay for the damage. Actually, it will be your policy that will cover the damage to your property. If you feel that there is evidence that your neighbor knew the tree was rotted and should have been removed (e.g. you sent him letters to that effect) you may be able to get his carrier to pay, or at least get your own carrier to subrogate. The other side of the coin is that, if your tree falls on his house, his insurance has to pay. Of course, if your neighbor is friendly, the two of you may want to work something out where you share the cost, or share the cost of the deductible.