When does home insurance help with tree removal?

Basic homeowners insurance does help with tree removal when it is part of the repair and cleanup of damage the tree caused to an insured part of your home, like your roof. It may also cover removing a tree that falls and blocks your driveway. However, in both cases, the tree removal would only be covered if there were no signs the tree was damaged or predictably going to fall beforehand.

The specifics of every insurance policy may vary. Check the wording of your policy or contact your agent to get the details of what your insurance covers. Your insurance agent may even be able to offer you a policy that covers your trees and other plants in the case of vandalism, lightning, fire, or more.

If you have a covered claim for tree removal, contact a tree removal service with experience working through insurance companies. Experienced Seattle arborists, like the crew at Pacific Arboriculture, have worked on insurance claims before. They know all the documentation that will be needed and can handle much of the paperwork for you.

What scenarios wouldn’t be covered by home insurance?

Homeowner’s insurance does not cover preventative tree removal. Homeowners insurance also does not cover tree removal nor the damage a fallen tree causes if homeowner neglect is determined to be a factor. That means you can’t use your homeowner’s insurance to remove damaged trees that may fall, only fallen trees that caused damage. But, if you have damaged trees that you don’t address and that fall and cause damage, the insurance company will cite your negligence and refuse to pay for anything.

As a homeowner, you are responsible for your trees — which includes keeping them from damaging your home. If an accident or storm uproots your tree and it causes damage to an insured structure on your property or blocks your driveway, then your homeowner’s policy will cover its removal.

You must pay for your own tree removal if it meets any of the following conditions:

• Your tree was uprooted by accident or storm but caused no damage.
• If tree may seem hazardous but has not caused damage
• If the tree has been damaged due to homeowner or unlicensed contractor that lead to failure

Don’t leave yourself vulnerable to paying for the expensive repairs of damage caused by trees that have been neglected. Keep your trees trimmed and healthy. Schedule an inspection but a certified arborist or a licensed tree risk assessor for how to better are for your trees and remove hazards or mitigate risks. It could save you thousands of dollars on potential repairs in the future.

How can I make sure my tree removal claim is covered?

The first step to ensuring your tree removal claim is covered is to contact your insurance agent and ask them if they have a homeowners insurance policy that can cover tree removal. Some insurance companies offer a more comprehensive policy covering many more tree removal scenarios.

Next, ensure you don’t negate your coverage by neglecting to address dangerous, broken, or overgrown trees. Keep your trees healthy and pruned. The simplest way to do this is regular maintenance from the professional arborists at Pacific Arboriculture offering residential tree services near Seattle.

Let Us Handle Your Claim

If your car or home is destroyed during a storm, the last thing you want to deal with is battling with insurance to get the repair work done as quickly as possible.

If you need to make a claim, hire an experienced professional arborist, like Pacific Arboriculture, to do the tree removal. We’ve worked with insurance companies before and can help walk you through the process or even handle much of the interaction for you, saving you a headache.

With the right policy, regular tree maintenance, and the professionals from Pacific Arboriculture to handle the removal, your insurance claim for tree removal should be covered.