Which insurance covers a fallen tree: homeowners, auto, a neighbor's or the city's?
Short answer. It depends on what the tree hit and who owned it. Your homeowners policy covers your house and other structures, your auto policy's comprehensive coverage covers your car, and a neighbor, city, county or utility is responsible only if their negligence caused the fall. You usually start with your own coverage and let your insurer pursue anyone at fault.
Matching the damage to the policy
- House, garage, fence, shed: your homeowners policy, minus your deductible.
- Your vehicle: your auto policy's comprehensive coverage, with its own deductible.
- A neighbor's house: the neighbor's own homeowners policy, even if the tree was yours, unless you were negligent.
- A rented home: the landlord's policy covers the building; a renters policy covers your belongings.
When someone else is responsible
A tree owner is generally liable only if they knew or should have known the tree was dangerous. That applies to neighbors, and it can apply to a city, county or utility that owns trees along the road or right of way. Your insurer can usually pursue them after paying your claim, and may recover your deductible.
Claims against a city or county
Georgia law requires written notice to a city or county within a short deadline before you can bring a claim, and the time limits are strict. If a public tree damaged your home, report it to your insurer and talk to an attorney quickly so the notice window is not missed. Utilities handle tree claims through their own claims departments.
What to gather
- Photos of the tree, the stump and where it stood relative to the property line or road
- Any prior complaints or warnings about the tree
- Repair estimates and tree service invoices