For some homeowners, plants and landscaping are irreplaceable treasures. They can range from the massive old oak dating to the Revolutionary War, to the most recent Mother's Day gift of a rose bush. Homeowners insurance policies provide coverage for loss or damage to these cherished items.
| Landscaping expenses are often overlooked by homeowners and adjusters. |
Most consumers who file claims to recover losses to their homes are surprised when they learn their plants and landscaping are covered, says Pete Strongrich, vice president of property operations for ASU Group claims adjusters in Okemos, Michigan. "People are so overwhelmed by a fire and replacing their home that they forget to mention that bushes were destroyed," Strongrich says, noting that landscaping expenses are often overlooked by homeowners and adjusters.
A basic homeowners insurance policy can cover $250 per item, with a maximum of $1,000 per incident, according to John Dendas, owner and president of the Pawson Group, an insurance agency based in Branford, Connecticut. "I've spent more than $300 on a plant," he admits. "It's nothing to spend that kind of money on a plant today."
| Claims for plants typically are filed following acts of vandalism or theft. |
Coverage for landscaping typically is regarded as "additional coverage," which means the policyholder will receive funds in addition to the replacement value of the home. Coverage includes trees, shrubs, plants, and lawns, but not mulch, edgings, or supplies.
Specific perils covered by a standard homeowners policy are fire, lightning, explosion, riot or civil disturbance, vandalism, criminal mischief, theft, or loss caused by motor vehicles or aircraft not owned or operated by the property owner. Insect or pest infestation, as well as wind and other weather damage, typically are excluded from the perils lists.
A related weather-coverage issue is removing downed trees following storms. The Chubb Group of Insurance Companies has filed to enhance its policies in 27 states to provide coverage for cutting and removing downed trees following storms. The coverage has a $250 deductible and pays up to $1,000 for removal of the tree, says Mary Ann Avnet, vice president of marketing for Chubb's personal insurance division. Other home insurance policies will help pay to remove fallen trees following storms or high winds, but only if they damage a covered structure. If a tree falls into a neighbor's yard; however, the owner of the property where the tree stood is responsible, Avnet says.
Claims for plants typically are filed following acts of vandalism or theft. In one case, a homeowner had grown a group of beautiful blue spruces, shaping and trimming the trees over the years. "Some people decided they wanted some Christmas trees, spotted these, and lopped the tops off," Strongrich says. "The trees were not the same beautiful trees. The property owner filed a claim and they were replaced."
When a vehicle destroys a plant or a tree, the homeowner should try to identify the driver and pursue full value from the liability portion of the driver's car insurance policy. Martin Brooks, who owns a nursery in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, specializes in rare plants and has served as an expert witness in court cases over insurance claims. He once served as a witness in a trial after a driver struck and destroyed a mature cut-leaf Japanese maple tree. The insurance company attempted to settle the claim with a $5,000 check, but the court accepted Brooks' opinion that the tree was worth $87,500.
The standard policy offered by Chubb provides among the highest coverage for landscaping losses, Avnet says. For claims involving damage to landscaping, Chubb will cover up to 5 percent of the house's insured value. "So if a home is worth $500,000, we will cover up to $25,000," she says. Chubb has its limits; however. The insurer will not pay more than $1,000 for any single tree, plant, or shrub. "This level of coverage is considered to be good, which is why people do not ask to add more on. We cover the kind of house where people have custom features, including the landscaping, and they care about the home's value."
In Florida, palm trees are often struck by lightning, reports Kathy Larimer of Larimer's Exotic Gardens. Larimer frequently provides estimates on palm trees to homeowners and claims adjusters. Replacing one mature coconut, royal, or foxtail palm can cost up to $1,000, she says.
Prudential places a coverage cap of $500 on any one tree or shrub. For isolated damage to landscaping, the insurer imposes a ceiling cost of $1,000. Under the standard policy offered by The Hartford, coverage also is restricted to up to 5 percent of the limit of liability that applies to the dwelling, with a maximum of $500 limit per item available for any one tree, shrub, or plant. "An endorsement, which we call HomeStretch Exclusive, can be added to our standard policy, which increases the per item limit to $1,000 for each tree, shrub, or plant," says Cynthia Michener, spokeswoman for The Hartford. "HomeStretch Exclusive is primarily added to homeowners policies because it increases a number of limits and broadens perils covered on contents."
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