You’ve probably experienced a very windy day at some point in your life. Your hair whips around your face and small debris blows into your squinted eyes. Sometimes, winds can get up to 30 mph on a normal windy day. That’s how fast a car drives through a residential area. What happens if that 30 mph wind knocks over your neighbor’s tree onto your car or house? Imagine the damage that would be done. Does your Homeowners or Auto Insurance cover this?

Let’s say that the tree landed on your car and damaged both the roof and the passenger door pretty badly. Not only will you be out of a car for awhile, but you have to worry about what’s covered by your Auto Insurance. Or, is your neighbor responsible for paying for the repairs or replacement? Do you confront your neighbor or make a claim with your own insurance company?

If you have Comprehensive coverage on your Auto Insurance policy, then your car will be covered.

Auto Insurance & Comprehensive Coverage

If you decided to add Comprehensive coverage to your Car Insurance policy, then you are covered for most things outside of a collision. That includes a tree falling onto your car. Depending on the limits of your policy, you could have the entire cost of the damages covered, minus your deductible. You will have to pay your pre-determined deductible first before your claim is paid out. However, maybe you told your neighbor in the past that you were concerned about their tree possibly falling over and damaging your property. If that’s the case, your Auto Insurance carrier may try to get your neighbor’s Homeowners Insurance to pay for the claim. This may even include the cost of your deductible.

Homeowners Insurance & Property Damage

Let’s say that the tree missed your car, but ended up falling on part of your house. You would then make a claim through your Homeowners Insurance company. Yes, your insurance is still primary in this case, even though it’s your neighbor’s tree. If the tree fell simply because of strong winds and not due to any negligence on your neighbor’s behalf, then your damages will be covered by your carrier. But what if the tree was unhealthy and your neighbor was negligent before the wind hit? Then, he would be responsible to pay for your property damages. This is because your neighbor knew or should have known that his tree was a hazard. Basically, if it’s your property, you are responsible unless you can provide proof that it was somehow your neighbor’s fault.

Speak with an AIS Insurance Specialist

Accidents happen, so it’s important to be covered in all worst-case scenarios. Call an AIS Insurance Specialist to review your current Homeowners Insurance or Auto Insurance policy and ensure that you have the right coverage. Don’t let this happen to you without knowing if you’re covered for any damages that windstorms or other natural disasters can cause to your car or home.

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements, nor is it intended to replace manuals or instructions or the advice of a qualified professional. The definitions, terms and coverage in a given policy may be different than those suggested here. Such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.