My tree fell on my neighbor's property, as a property owner, am I responsible?  Will my insurance have to pay for the damages?

Most of the time the answer is No and No.  It would be a claim on the other person's homeowners' insurance and not the property owner of the tree.  Special circumstances can negate this.  If the neighbor had warned the property owner about a potential problem with the tree, then the property owner could be held liable.  If you have a neighbor with a tree issue, the best thing to do is to write them a letter via certified mail that their tree poses danger and ask them to take action.  If they fail to take action after you sent the notice, then that gives you stronger grounds to recover from their insurance company. 

I have water seeping through my basement walls from all of the rainfall... is this covered under my homeowners insurance?

The answer is No.  Surface water would have to be covered by a seperate Flood Policy.  Flood damage to your home and personal property is NOT covered by standard Homeowners' Insurance policies.  However, we can offer you a seperate Flood policy, which is underwritten by the National Flood Insurance Program.  Just contact one of our licensed agents and we can have this quoted for you shortly. 

Lightning has struck my Heat Pump during the big storm we had... is this covered on my policy?

The answer is Yes.  Lightning is a covered peril on a standard homeowners' insurance policy.  You would first need to contact your agent to notify them of the damage and then they would send a claims adjustor to inspect the unit to verify that lightning was the cause of the damage and decide if it would be best to repair the unit or replace the unit.  Always keep in mind that your deductible will apply. 

The high winds caused my shingles to blow off of my roof... is this covered on my policy?

The answer is Yes.  Wind is also a covered peril on a standard homeowners' insurance policy.  Again, you would need to contact your insurance agent and report the damages.  They will send a licensed claims adjustor to review and set up the proper repairs. 

Regardless of the situation, always feel free to contact one of our licensed agents with your storm-related questions.  Or, if you need a quote for adequate Homeowners' protection or Flood Protection, we have a group of skilled licensed agents who would love to help.