Tuesday, July 9, 2019

When a Tree Falls, Who Pays for the Damage?

(Click on the image for the Consumer Reports article)

  • When an oak topples in the forest and no one’s around to hear it, who cares? But when your neighbor’s tree falls on your roof, you’ll care—and want to know whose homeowners insurance will pay.
  • The short answer: Tap your own coverage. Make a claim through your insurer for tree damages to your property, even if the tree was rooted in your neighbor’s yard.
  • In the opposite case—a tree from your yard causes damage to the property next door—it’s up to your neighbor to put in a claim with his or her insurer.