You have heard the saying: if a tree falls in the woods and no one was there to hear it, did it really make a sound? When it comes to trees falling in your neighborhood, many times there is someone around to hear it -- particularly if it falls onto another object, like a car or house. With the tree and the sound comes the question -- who pays for the damage? Let's take a look at a couple of scenarios to determine just that.
Scenario One:
Due to a storm front, a healthy large oak tree from your yard fell on your neighbor's brand new Mercedes. Whose insurance pays?
Answer: As the tree fell due to an "act of God", your neighbor's comprehensive insurance pays for damage done to their car.
Scenario Two:
A tornado whips through your neighborhood and several trees from your neighbor's house broke off and damaged your house and car. Whose insurance pays?
Answer: This is another example of an "act of God" and your neighbor is not responsible for the damage done to your house or your car. Your home insurance and your car insurance policy come into play here.
Scenario Three:
You forgot you have a very tall dead pine tree in your suburban yard until one afternoon you return home to find it has fallen, damaging both your and your neighbor's fence, their car and the corner of their house. Whose insurance pays?
Answer: Your home insurance policy pays. The tree was not in good condition, you were aware of it but did not take any action to remove it. You are responsible.
There may be a few other examples, but these are some of the most common. Best recommendation is when you notice a tree is not looking healthy, contact local tree trimming businesses (SC Partners or OH Partners) and make arrangements to remove this risk from your yard!