You should be covered for fallen trees and branches if they're considered an 'act of nature'.
You won't be covered if the tree fell as a result of pruning or for damage by tree roots.
This is how home insurance covers tree damage
The way insurance covers tree damage varies between policies, but generally the following applies:
You are covered for falling trees and branches: if a tree or branch falls on your property then you are covered for resulting damage under the "impact" insured event section of the policy. Depending on the policy, this might only be available as an optional extra, and might only cover the cost of removal of debris that actually damaged your home. It typically doesn't cover the costs of digging up and removing tree stumps that remain after a tree falls, or any related landscaping or gardening costs.
You are covered for damage to pipes or drains: if tree roots are destroying or blocking them – the insured event is commonly known as 'Escape of liquid'.
You are not covered for damage caused tree lopping or pruning: either by yourself or someone who was doing it with your approval.
You are not covered for damage caused by tree roots if: tree roots cause damage to your home or its surroundings.
If my neighbour's tree falls on my property, who is responsible?
Your neighbour is generally liable
If they have altered the tree in any way – such as removed its roots to repair a driveway.
If there is evidence to suggest that they knew the tree was dangerous – for example, an arborist recommended its removal.
If the tree is on their property and they have home insurance policy that includes liability cover.
You are generally liable
If the tree is solely on or also on your property.
If you were responsible for altering the tree – for example tree lopping or pruning.
Bad weather and storms
These are 'acts of nature' where nobody is liable. This means that, should a storm bring down your neighbour's tree onto your home, you may have to cover the costs, unless you have home insurance.
Finder survey: Why do Australians of different ages have home and contents insurance?
Response
Gen Z
Gen Y
Gen X
Baby Boomers
Theft
14.61%
26.09%
33.55%
34.66%
Peace of mind
11.24%
27.99%
36.51%
53.41%
Flood protection
10.11%
10.05%
9.87%
6.82%
Fire protection
8.99%
22.55%
32.24%
40.34%
Storm damage
8.99%
16.3%
23.68%
35.23%
Because it is a requirement of my home loan
9.51%
7.89%
3.98%
Other
0.27%
0.33%
0.57%
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1113 Australians, December 2023
What happens if my tree roots are causing damage to my neighbour's property?
When dealing with issues with your neighbours, you should always do your best to keep things friendly and resolve things amicably. Ordinarily, damage as a result of tree roots either to you or your neighbour's home is not something that home insurance covers. If this is the case, it may be worth coming to a solution with your neighbour about removing the tree.
However, in some cases, if the tree roots are causing serious harm to your neighbour's home, you may be liable to pay. This can include things like structural damage to the property, such as crushed pipes, damaged roofs and walls or cracked foundations.
If you do have a large tree on your property, you may want to look into getting cover for damage to your home or other's property. Many policies will specifically exclude damage caused by roots so finding cover can be difficult.
What happens if your neighbour's tree roots are causing damage to your property?
If your neighbour's tree roots are damaging your property, it can be difficult to get cover. That's because it's common for insurers not to cover the cost of removing tree stumps and roots still in the ground. However, there are some things you can do:
Speak to your neighbour
If the tree roots are doing damage to your property, speak to your neighbour and try to come to an amicable agreement. You might be able to go through their insurance or split the costs 50/50.
Take note of the damage
If you can prove that their tree roots are causing serious damage to your home, they may be liable to pay. This can include things like structural damage to the property, such as crushed pipes, damaged roofs and walls or cracked foundations.
Go through your insurer
You may have to go through your insurer if your neighbour is refusing to pay. If this is the case, you'll need to make sure you are covered. While many insurers do not cover you for the roots of trees, you can find cover, for example, if your pipes or drains are destroyed or blocked by roots under the insured event commonly known as 'Escape of liquid'. This might be an easier option that taking the matter to court.
What are the general exclusions when it comes to tree damage?
For example, a common general exclusion is “movement of the earth”. If a tree’s roots undermine your neighbour’s property and end up causing the ground to collapse, you might not be covered by your policy.
Get home insurance that covers tree damage
1 - 7 of 21
With some insurance policies, you may need to add on more for the demolition, removal of debris and redesign costs. This component alone could cost tens of thousands of dollars.
You pay the same as buying directly from the home insurer. Better still, we regularly run exclusive deals that you won't find on any other site – plus, our tables make it easy to compare policies.
Unlike other comparison sites, we're not owned by an insurer. That means our opinions are our own and we work with lots of home insurance brands, making it easier for you to find a good deal.
We're here to help
Since 2014, we've helped 150,000+ people find home insurance by explaining your cover options simply and clearly. We'll never ask for your number or email. We're here to help you make a decision.
FAQs about home insurance tree damage
Check with your insurer to see if you can have the tree removed. It's often the case that you won't be covered if the tree hasn't done any damage to you or someone else's property. If this is the case, contact an arborist. If they recommend it should be removed as it's unsafe, you may be able to go through your home insurance to have it removed. Each policy is different, so remember to read the product disclosure statement before you commit to having the tree removed.
Sometimes; it depends on where and how it fell. A policy that will most likely pay out for the removal of fallen trees is one that contains a "removal of debris" clause.
Depending on the policy, this might only be available as an optional extra and only cover the cost of removal of debris that actually damaged your home. It typically doesn't cover the costs of digging up and removing tree stumps that remain after a tree falls, or any related landscaping costs.
Your home insurance generally won't cover any damage caused by branches or trees that fell and caused damage as a result of trimming.
If you were doing the trimming yourself, then you'd probably be fully responsible for any damage that was caused.
If you hired a professional to do the job, they may be liable for the damage. You might be able to make a claim through their business insurance or other liability cover.
No, if you were doing the lopping yourself, then you'd probably be fully responsible for any damage that was caused to your property.
Your home insurance generally won't cover any damage caused by branches or trees that fell and caused damage as a result of trimming, pruning or tree lopping.
If you hired a professional to do the job, they may be liable for the damage. You might be able to make a claim through their business insurance or other liability cover.
If a tree on your property falls on someone else's car, you might be covered by liability insurance. However, if it lands on your own car, then it's unlikely that a home insurance policy will cover you.
As it's not part of the building itself, it won't be covered by that section of the policy. However, if you have comprehensive car insurance, it will probably cover you for this event.
Gary Ross Hunter is an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 6 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian and news.com.au. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 2 General Advice General Insurance certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146).
Camera insurance is a must-have if you carry a lot of expensive gear. Find out how to get cover through either contents insurance or speciality camera insurance.
How likely would you be to recommend finder to a friend or colleague?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Very UnlikelyExtremely Likely
Required
Thank you for your feedback.
Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.
Important information about this website
finder.com.au is one of Australia's leading comparison websites. We are committed to our readers and stands by our editorial principles
We try to take an open and transparent approach and provide a broad-based comparison service. However, you should be aware that while we are an independently owned service, our comparison service does not include all providers or all products available in the market.
Some product issuers may provide products or offer services through multiple brands, associated companies or different labeling arrangements. This can make it difficult for consumers to compare alternatives or identify the companies behind the products. However, we aim to provide information to enable consumers to understand these issues.
We make money by featuring products on our site. Compensation received from the providers featured on our site can influence which products we write about as well as where and how products appear on our page, but the order or placement of these products does not influence our assessment or opinions of them, nor is it an endorsement or recommendation for them.
Products marked as 'Top Pick', 'Promoted' or 'Advertisement' are prominently displayed either as a result of a commercial advertising arrangement or to highlight a particular product, provider or feature. Finder may receive remuneration from the Provider if you click on the related link, purchase or enquire about the product. Finder's decision to show a 'promoted' product is neither a recommendation that the product is appropriate for you nor an indication that the product is the best in its category. We encourage you to use the tools and information we provide to compare your options.
Where our site links to particular products or displays 'Go to site' buttons, we may receive a commission, referral fee or payment when you click on those buttons or apply for a product. You can learn more about how we make money.
When products are grouped in a table or list, the order in which they are initially sorted may be influenced by a range of factors including price, fees and discounts; commercial partnerships; product features; and brand popularity. We provide tools so you can sort and filter these lists to highlight features that matter to you.
Please read our website terms of use and privacy policy for more information about our services and our approach to privacy.
