Is your home covered for tree damage?

Leaf it to us to find you the best home insurance

Trees in your garden can be a natural way to give your property more life and colour but could they cause you to make a claim on your home insurance?

Most trees growing near buildings usually cause no damage but in some cases, you may find structural damage and subsidence may be linked to its expanding roots. Homeowners shouldn’t find their home insurance premium any more expensive, or the process of taking out insurance any more complicated. But there can be occasions where you may need to make a claim, so ensure that your policy covers your home for all situations.

Proximity

Some insurers will ask how far away trees are from your home, and it's important to check the terms and conditions of your policy to see what the insurer's policy is towards trees. Insurance should cover subsidence and/or heave, but a claim may make future policies more expensive and harder to find. With subsidence, there is often a larger excess – normally £1,000 or more and often buildings policies will often only cover subsidence damage to the house itself.

The root of the problem

Roots can spread up to three times the height of the tree, so if you have a 20ft willow tree in your garden, you can expect the roots to be roughly 60ft in diameter. Roots may enter and block drains for your and other properties and can lead to the formation of cavities where water flows into the soil. If you live in an older property with an older drainage system, you are more susceptible for problems. Expanding roots can lift paving which can be dangerous, especially if you don’t notice it and trip over.

During dry spells, trees will absorb more moisture from the ground, causing shrinkage and the possibility of subsidence and structural cracking. Branches can also cause damage to guttering, the roof and non-building related specifics such as telephone wires.

Tree Preservation Order

If you are concerned about a tree near your property causing any damage, you may need to find out if it is protected by a Tree Preservation Order. If this is the case then you'll need permission from the Council before pruning them. You may wish to remove a tree from your property but this may cause you more problems as the removal of trees can cause ‘heave’ - expansion of clay soils which swell when wet - and may increase the chance of your property being flooded.

Should your property be damaged by a tree in a neighbouring garden, it is in fact their responsibility to ensure that any damages are paid for, should there be evidence to support it.

If you are looking to buy a property which is by a large tree, or are looking at changing your home insurance, make sure you give the insurer accurate information to ensure that you will be able to make a claim should the worst happen.

Give us a call

PayingTooMuch.com offers policies from all the major insurers including Ageas, Allianz, AXA and Zurich. It only takes ten minutes to complete a quote based on your personal circumstances, either online or over the telephone, so make a quick phone call today to see how much you can save.

By visiting PayingTooMuch.com, you can find the cover which is best suited for you and your home. If you have any questions you can contact our home insurance specialists on 01243 219 300.

Sample Quotes

Information based on couple born in 1945 4 bed room detached house built in 1933. Based on £400,000 buildings and £30,000 contents with £1,000 cover away from the home. All standard cover.