Winnipeg Insurance Brokers Ltd. Unit 106-2565 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3J 0P4
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If a tree falls on your home, a million concerns are likely to run through your mind at once. Is everyone okay? Was anyone inside? Is our home damaged?
Read this article now and save it for later, so that if a tree falls on your home, you can take ‘Will insurance cover this?’ off your mind while you focus on what really matters: your family home.
A tree falling on your property can be scary. Knowing what to do ahead of time can help to protect your family and mitigate any damage done to your home.
In most cases, home insurance will protect your home and any other structures on your property (like a fence or a shed) against specific causes of loss, called “perils.” These are things like damage caused by a windstorm.
If a tree falls on your property and your claim is covered, home insurance will pay to repair:
But, you will want to think critically and figure out if it’s worth the claim, because the cost of repairing damage and removing the fallen tree is very often less than that of a home insurance deductible. If that’s the case for you, then it’s not worth the claim.
If a tree falls on your home, we recommend that you contact us (or your own insurance company). We can help you figure out if the claim is covered, decide whether it’s worth pursuing, and if it is, we’ll help you get your claim started.
To protect your home from future tree fallings, or to lessen the potential damage, regularly check for and remove dead branches. Also, consider pruning branches from neighbouring trees that extend over your property line.
Because your vehicle isn’t considered an extension of your home, a tree falling on your vehicle would not be covered by homeowner’s insurance.
You’d need to have active comprehensive or collision auto coverage from Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) in order for your vehicle to be covered in the event of a tree falling. Without that coverage, you’ll have to pay for vehicle repairs out of pocket.
If a tree on your property falls on someone else’s vehicle, the owner of that vehicle can claim it under their MPI policy. If, however, the owner has no coverage, they might ask you to file a claim under your third-party liability coverage.
A tree falling on your property can raise all kinds of questions. Below, we’ve answered the most common ones we get asked. If you don’t see the answer to your specific question, contact us and we’ll get you the information you need.
Yes. Home insurance policies include coverage for fallen trees, but that coverage depends on a number of factors like what caused the tree to fall and what kind of damage resulted.
Property insurance will not cover loss or damage caused by negligence or a maintenance-related issue.
If the cleanup is related to property damage, then yes, it will be covered.
If the tree falls without doing any damage, no property insurance claim would be opened, so you’d be responsible for cleanup. The same goes for dead trees and branches.
No, it doesn’t matter whose property the tree falls from. The insurance provider of the person whose property is damaged will pay to repair the damage to your house or other structure.
If a tree falls from your neighbour’s property, you should be able to make a claim on your home insurance– as long as the cause of the damage is something your insurance covers.
If a tree falls because of rotting, or because it’s dead, then insurance may not cover the damage. (You may still be able to file a liability claim on your neighbour’s home insurance, though.)
You are only responsible if the tree fell because of neglect on your part (like if you let the tree rot or failed to remove a dead tree). If a tree falls for any other reason, your neighbour will likely have to open a claim through their own property insurance.
Want to ensure that you have the coverage you need in the event of a tree falling on your property? Visit our home insurance page or contact us to get started. We’ll help you secure the coverage you need so you can relax and enjoy your home– no matter what mother nature throws your way.
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We are committed to the communities where we live and work, and we demonstrate our commitment by taking part in sponsorship and volunteer programs.
We love it here, too.
We are committed to the communities where we live and work, and we demonstrate our commitment by taking part in sponsorship and volunteer programs.
Winnipeg Insurance Brokers Ltd. Unit 106-2565 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3J 0P4