If I tree happens to fall in your yard, you may be wondering several things such as who is responsible for the cost of removing the tree, and who is responsible for the cost of any damage that the tree caused to your property.  If the tree happened to fall on your house, you have bigger problems and even more questions. 

One of the other questions you may be wondering is if your insurance will cover such an incident.  The answer is usually.  The tree needs to hit a covered structure in order for your homeowner’s insurance policy to cover it.  If the tree happens to fall in your neighbor’s yard, each of you will usually submit a claim through their own homeowner’s policy.  This means that your homeowner’s insurance policy will pay for the removal of the tree, but only the parts of the tree that are on your property.  This only applies however, if the tree hit a structure covered under your policy.  Your neighbor will have to use his homeowner’s policy to pay for the costs to remove the part of the tree that is on his/her property.  Also, unless the tree hit a structure covered under their policy, the incident will not be covered by their policy and they will have to pay for the removal out-of-pocket.

If for instance your neighbor’s tree falls on your house and into your yard, then your homeowner’s policy will pay for the cost to remove the section of tree that is in your yard and for the damages to your house.  Some insurance carriers offer the option of waiving the requirement of a tree having to hit a covered structure in order for there to be coverage, so if this option interests you, just check with your agent or broker.

It is always best to check with your agent or broker to discuss your policy’s coverage regarding these types of things because the coverage can vary from carrier to carrier.  Consider adding on coverage options that serve to remove coverage exclusions such as the one mentioned above.  This way, if a tree happens to fall in your yard, but not hit one of your covered structures, you policy will still pay to have the tree removed and also pay for other covered damage.