Homeowners Insurance and Trees: Understanding Your Obligations and Rights
Homeowners Insurance and Trees
Trees are significant features of neighborhood landscapes, so home insurance policies have to address risks related to the local canopy when establishing and maintaining coverage. In this article, we’ll go over some of the rights and obligations of homeowners and insurance companies when it comes to managing both the healthy and weak trees on residential properties in Nashville.
Do Trees Affect Homeowners Insurance?
Most homeowners insurance policies that provide coverage for repairs and cleanup from tree-related events (such as storm damage) include requirements and guidelines related to tree maintenance and removal. Every insurance company and each insurance policy will have unique clauses, obligations, and rights to coverage based on your specific needs and situation. Consulting your policy terms or contacting your insurance agent is the best way to know exactly what benefits and requirements are applicable for your property.
Healthy trees are less likely to cause damage than weak ones, so insurance companies may require an assessment by an adjuster or certified arborist to inspect the size and condition of trees, as well as their proximity to structures on the property, to inform their offer of insurance coverage.
Do Insurance Companies Ever Require Tree Removal for Coverage?
Following a property inspection when assessing for coverage, insurers may issue recommendations or requirements for tree maintenance or removal, particularly if a tree is weak, dead, or at risk of falling onto your home or your neighbor’s property. Failure to act on the known risk might lead to denial of coverage or higher premiums.
Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Tree Removal?
Home insurance usually covers the cleanup and removal of fallen trees and debris, as well as associated damage repairs in the case of covered events up to the specific policy limit. However, insurance companies don’t typically cover tree removal when a tree is removed to avoid future problems or when the damage is due to neglect (lack of care) or negligence (when a problem is known but not acted on). Preventative tree removal is generally considered part of regular property maintenance.
Be sure to review your policy closely at signing (as well as whenever relevant questions arise) and look for tree-related clauses to remain aware of your maintenance obligations and rights to coverage. If you’re unsure about policy requirements or tree-related risks on your property, reach out to your insurance agent for guidance.
In situations of dispute, such as with insurance companies over claims, or with neighbors over cross-property issues, a lawyer who specializes in tree law can be a valuable resource for clarifying rights and responsibilities, as well as by providing assistance through a tree-related conflict.
What Happens if a Neighbor’s Tree Falls Onto Your Property?
If a tree from your neighbor’s property falls into your yard or onto your home, your insurance company may cover the damage within your policy’s conditions. If your neighbor has liability insurance, it may be covered by their policy. Generally, the landowner on whose property a tree grows will be held to a duty of care. Learn more about responsibilities for trees and properties from the University of Tennessee Extension.
Do Homeowners Associations Help With Tree Removal Costs?
Usually, homeowners associations (HOAs) do not directly cover the costs of tree removal on individual properties. However, there are some circumstances where an HOA might share in the cost of tree removal. This depends on the specific rules and agreements of the HOA, the location of the tree, and whether the tree poses a risk to the community or common areas. Check with your HOA’s rules or representatives to be clear on landscaping obligations, rights, and possible benefits such as a landscaping budget or cost-sharing agreement.
Preventative Maintenance
Since failure to address tree-related hazards can potentially lead to higher insurance premiums or denial of coverage, homeowners should regularly take steps to manage those risks. This includes having trees routinely inspected, pruned, and cared for as necessary by certified arborists, as well as having too-weak trees removed in a timely manner. Keeping records of tree inspections and maintenance can help support your case in the event of a claim, showing that any damage wasn’t caused by neglect or negligence.
By proactively managing the health of the trees on your property and understanding your insurance policies’ specifics, you can best maintain safety around your home and remain in compliance with your coverage.
Private Property and the Neighborhood Canopy
Maintaining the trees on private residential property is an important contribution to the health and productivity of the neighborhood canopy. Healthy trees reduce the spread of tree diseases, are less likely to drop branches or fall during storms, and provide ecosystem services such as stormwater management, air filtration, and cooling effects that have community-wide impacts.
To keep Nashville’s canopy in the best condition, it’s helpful to monitor trees on your property and throughout the neighborhood for signs of weakness:
Broken or hanging branches
Discolored foliage or leafless branches during spring and summer
Loss of bark
Holes or cavities in the trunk
If you notice any of these signs on a tree in your yard, contact a certified arborist. If you notice these signs on trees in your neighbor’s yard, kindly touch base with them so that they can take appropriate action. If you notice these signs in the parkway right-of-way, submit a report to Metro Nashville at hub.nashville.gov.
In the event that a tree may need to be removed for safety or canopy health concerns, such as infection or pest infestation, communicate with your neighbors in case they may be affected, whether by a tree disease or pest or by the loss of shared shade or roots. After a tree is removed, consider planting a new tree nearby to replace the old one.
When we plant trees with intention and care, they can safely provide ecosystem services and beauty to Nashville’s landscape. Browse the Nashville Tree Conservation Corps’ tree sale for a range of tree species to add to your home’s landscape or donate a tree for us to plant!
NTCC is a community-based organization, and we rely on Nashville’s support to fulfill our mission to plant, promote, and care for our city’s canopy. Consider volunteering with us or making a financial contribution to help fund our work. With a job as big as canopy care, every action makes a difference! Subscribe to our email newsletter to stay informed on Nashville’s trees, and check out our Linktree for more ways to connect.