Who Pays When Your Neighbor's Tree Falls on Your Home or Auto?

AAA Offers Insurance Tips in the Wake of Tropical Storm Isaias

 Tropical Storm Isaias blew through Connecticut leaving a path of destruction, including significant damage to homes and autos caused by fallen trees. As the clean up continues, many are left to sort through the insurance claim process. How do you deal with storm damage? What is covered by insurance? And whose insurance pays when your neighbor's tree falls on your property?

"These are questions we get every day. It's important to know the right answers and take the necessary steps to make sure your claim can be process quickly and appropriately," says Greg Lauria, a spokesperson for AAA Insurance, "First things first, call your insurance agent to report the damage".

AAA Tips on Home Insurance Coverage

• If your tree falls on your house, your insurance will cover removal of the tree and home repairs due to damage.
• If your tree falls on your neighbor’s house, your neighbor’s homeowner’s policy would provide insurance coverage.  The same holds true if your neighbor’s tree falls on your home; you would file a claim with your own insurance company.
• If a tree falls in your yard, but doesn’t hit anything, you would pay for its removal in most cases.
• Additionally, if a tree on your property is weak, damaged, or decayed, but you do nothing about it, and it crashes down on a neighbor’s home (or vehicle), you could be held liable for damages. 
• Wind-related damage to a house, its roof, its contents and other insured structures on the property is covered under standard homeowner’s insurance policies. Wind-driven rain that causes an opening in the roof or wall and enters through this opening is also covered.
• Wind-driven rain that causes an opening in the roof or wall and enters through this opening is covered under standard homeowner’s insurance policies.
• Water that seeps into a home from the ground up is considered flooding and would be covered by flood insurance, which is provided by the National Flood Insurance Program and a few private insurers. Flood insurance is available to both homeowners and renters. Flood damage is not covered by standard homeowners or renters insurance policies.
• Homeowners policies also include additional living expenses—in the event a home is severely damaged by an insured disaster, this would pay for reasonable expenses incurred by living elsewhere while the home is being fixed or rebuilt.

AAA Tips on Homeowners Insurance Claims:

• Take appropriate immediate and temporary measures to prevent further damage. If you do make minor repairs before an insurance adjuster arrives, save receipts to submit for reimbursement.
• Phone your insurance agent or company immediately. Be prepared with a list of questions ahead of time: Am I covered? Does my claim exceed my deductible? How long will it take to process my claim? Will I need to obtain estimates for repairs to structural damage?
• If your home is damaged to the extent you cannot live there, find out if you have coverage for additional living expenses for accommodations while repairs are completed. If you do stay at a hotel, keep your receipts for reimbursement.
• Schedule a time for an adjuster to inspect the damage to your property.
• Prepare a list of lost or damaged articles. Avoid throwing out damaged items until the adjuster has visited. Consider photographing or videotaping the damage.
• Get claim forms. Insurance companies will send required claim forms by a specified time period. Be sure to completely fill out the form and return promptly to avoid delays.

AAA Tips on Auto Insurance Coverage:

• Physical damage to a car caused by heavy wind, flooding, or fallen tree limbs is covered under the optional comprehensive portion of an auto policy.
• Comprehensive coverage (optional) covers the vehicle from damage that from anything OTHER THAN another vehicle – like physical damage from fallen trees or high wind
• Liability only (no comprehensive or collision coverage) means you are liable for damage to your vehicle (even floods)
• Car owners should contact their insurance company to determine the extent of coverage before seeking repairs.

AAA Tips on Auto Insurance Claims:

• Take photographs of any visible damage.
• Any vehicle sustaining flood damage should be fully inspected before being allowed back on the road. Mechanical components, computer systems, engine, transmission, axles, brake system and fuel system impacted by water contamination may render the vehicle unfit to drive and in many cases vehicles sustaining significant water damage will be determined to be a total loss.