If a Tree Falls, Will Insurance Co. Hear It?

As you climb out of the wreckage of the second storm in two months, once you brush the icicles off your eyes and run through the house turning light switches on and off, you may want to take a moment to examine your home insurance policy.

Sadly, you may find out that your coverage is not what you expected.

Did you know that if a tree falls on your property, but doesn’t hit your home, it’s probably not covered?

However, if a tree falls and hits a utility pole and pulls the wires from your home, then you are covered, according to Dawn Scanlon, an insurance producer with in Oak Ridge.

Scanlon, who has 32 years experience in the insurance business said many people have been surprised at what is and is not covered after they have examined their policies after the last two storms.

Many of us are now walking around with the determination of Scarlett O’Hara, who is famous for saying, “As God as my witness, I’ll never go hungry again.”

However, we’ve changed the affirmation to: As God as my witness, I’ll never be without power again—which has prompted a run on generators and battery powered sump pumps in the area.

Scanlon said many people are unaware that insurance companies do expect the home owner to mitigate loss or further loss whenever possible.

For instance, if the current five day power outage happened in the middle of winter when the temperature is below freezing, homeowners are expected to do whatever they can to avoid further damage – such as draining pipes and turning off the water – if a power outage is expected to last more than a few hours or a day.

Also, Scanlon said many home owners are unaware that they can purchase flood insurance, even if it is not required.

Scanlon said, if the power goes out and a sump pump fails causing a basement or first floor dwelling to be flooded, unless the cause of flooding is due to a broken pipe or water coming in through a broken window, most policies will not cover the damage or they will be covered for a limited amount ranging from $1000 to $5000.

“Flood insurance is not that expensive and it really is necessary in areas where there is a high water table and/or ground water seepage is likely,” said Scanlon.

She said, if you have a finished basement or there is a water heater or furnace in the area of your home that could potentially be flooded, it makes sense to have flood insurance for the amount it would take to replace these items or repair the structure.

Another type of insurance residents may want to consider at this time is earthquake insurance according to Scanlon.

“We were all surprised when the earthquake hit in our area. We never expected this and earthquake coverage is not typically included in policies in our area,” said Scanlon. “Things are happening that never happened before—things are different now.”