Alberta is home to many wild storms, and it’s unfortunately not unusual for our trees to become casualties. When fierce winds knock down your beloved 80-foot spruce tree, there is more than one loss to consider. There is the grief at the loss of the tree, then the aftermath of the damage caused.
As beautiful and as functional as trees are for their provision of shade, privacy, oxygen and sheer beauty, they are also potential liability hazards. As healthy as a tree may be, severe weather can still take down the strongest specimen. It’s important to understand how care and attention to your trees can help avoid accidents, and also how your Alberta home insurance coverage will come into play.
Does home insurance cover damage caused by a fallen tree?
A standard Alberta home insurance policy will most likely cover damage caused by wind or lightning, which are the most common reasons trees are knocked over or branches fall off. Your coverage will typically apply to damage caused to your home as well as other structures located on your property.
When a tree or heavy branch falls, insurance coverage applies to:
- The roof, attic, wall, and attached structures to your main home.
- Outbuildings such as your garage, sheds, gazebos, fences, gates, decks, and patios.
- Costs associated with repairs and the removal of debris.
Does it matter why the tree fell?
It doesn’t matter if your tree falls because of a storm, lightning, or poor health. In most instances, home insurance will generally cover the costs associated with repairs and debris removal.
Tree health does come into play regarding liability, however. Insurance is designed to protect against sudden and accidental events, not long-term wear and tear or neglect. If your tree was clearly dead, decaying, or just in bad shape prior to falling and damaging a neighbour’s property, they could attempt to recover their repair costs from you by alleging negligence. Negligence implies that you knew — or reasonably should have known — that the tree presented a hazard and that you failed to take proper action to trim or remove it.
If my tree falls on my neighbor’s property, who pays?
One common misconception among homeowners is that if your tree falls onto a neighbor’s yard, you are automatically responsible for paying for their repairs. In reality, Alberta home insurance coverage pertains to the property that sustained the damage, regardless of where the tree originated.
If your tree falls onto your neighbour’s house, fence, or yard:
- Their insurer will be the one to handle the claim. Your neighbour will need to contact their own home insurance provider to repair the damage.
- If you were negligent, for example, if your tree was dead for a long time and you ignored warnings, your neighbour’s insurer may attempt to recover costs from you through a legal process called subrogation.
- Any liability dispute will be managed directly between the two insurance carriers rather than as a personal legal battle between neighbours.
It is, of course, best practice to routinely care for your trees and hire a professional arborist to prune or remove unstable branches.
What if a city-owned tree falls on my property?
If a tree owned by your municipality falls onto your property, it’s the same process as if it were your own tree. Contact your home insurance provider or broker to process the claim and repair any structural damage. Whoever owns the tree does not change how your claim will be handled.
It is possible to attempt to pursue a formal claim directly with your municipality, however, it will generally only be successful if you can prove that the municipality was negligent. That would require proof that municipal officials were aware that the tree was hazardous and failed to act in a timely manner. If you are worried about a city-owned tree near your property, document your concerns with clear photographs and report them to your municipality in writing.
If tree roots break into my foundation, is damage covered?
Damage caused by growing tree roots occurs gradually over time. Home insurance, on the other hand, is specifically designed to cover sudden and accidental events. Standard policies explicitly exclude damage resulting from gradual settling, cracking, or long-term structural shifting.
Excluded root-related issues typically include:
- Cracking, shifting, or settling of a foundation wall or slab.
- Soil depletion or expansion caused by deep root systems.
- Water infiltration and plumbing damage because of gradual root growth.
Because root damage falls under standard policy exclusions, keeping trees planted at a safe distance from your home’s foundation and taking good care of them are essential preventive steps for every homeowner.
Get great rates on home insurance and auto insurance from Lane’s
One of the largest advantages of working with a broker is that we represent your interests — not an insurance company’s. Regular insurance agents are tied to a single insurer, meaning they are only able to provide the specific products available from that company at that particular time. Insurance brokers are independent professionals who work with multiple providers with the goal of finding you the best coverage at the best rate. In many cases, we have access to exclusive rates or coverage options not available to the general public due to our long-standing relationships with our providers and our ability to bring them the very best clients for their policies. In addition, we also know how to get you discounts you probably didn’t even know you qualified for,
If you are looking for competitive rates on Alberta home insurance, call us to get a fast, free quote today. Find us at:
