Here in South Florida, development of our beautiful shores has resulted in properties in close proximity to each other. While your neighbor’s trees may provide you some much desired shade, these landscape features could become a major headache should they damage your property during a storm. Many people assume that damage incurred as a result of a neighbor’s tree would be the responsibility of that neighbor, but this is often not the case. What, then, should you do to ensure you are appropriately compensated for the damage sustained to your home or business?
You should first inform your insurance company of the incident and your intent to file a claim against your insurance policy. Ultimately your insurance company will determine liability, as they have the requisite experience and motivation to do so. You should also document the damage to your property with plenty of pictures, as well as pictures of the tree in question. If the tree was in a weakened or unhealthy state, and your neighbor knew of its compromised condition, this could be cause to hold your neighbor liable for the damage rather than your insurance company. This is why it is important to document the condition of the tree trunk, the area of the break, and any other evidence of an unhealthy condition of the tree as you document the event.
In most cases, your insurance company will bear the cost of repairs for your property even though it was your neighbor’s tree which caused the damage. Understand that your insurance company is a business motivated by profit, so they will seek to minimize their exposure to loss by limiting the amount paid for your claim as best they can. This is one reason why homeowners opt to retain the services of a public adjuster. These professionals advocate on behalf of you, the property owner, fighting to get a satisfying monetary recovery from the insurance company so you may fully repair and restore your home to original condition.
Property damage is a fact of life for those of us residing in South Florida, and sometimes this damage isn’t even caused by our own landscaping! Occasionally a neighbor’s tree will cause damage to your home, and in these instances you may think it is up to your neighbor to foot the bill for the repair. However, this is usually not the case, and you should file a claim with your insurance carrier in order to cover the cost of repairs. At People’s Insurance Claim Center, we have a great deal of experience with exactly these situations, and our public adjusters are more than capable of determining who should bear responsibility for damages as well as recovering sufficient funds to repair your property to pristine condition. Call us today at 305-956-3666 and let us provide you a free claim analysis so you have a better understanding of where liability likely lies for your damage,