Trees provide shade and can esthetically enhance the beauty of your home’s property. But, trees can also pose a safety hazard if they are not properly inspected and maintained. Here are some tree care and maintenance tips from Sibcy Cline Insurance Services to consider:

Before a Storm Hits

• Remove any dead trees on your property
• Enhance the health of your trees with watering, fertilization and protection from soil compaction. Healthy trees will remain firm in the wind.
• Prune dead or broken limbs to help a tree maintain its structure. It’s also a good idea to thin our excess branches every three to five years.
• If your tree suffers from a pest issue, it is best to treat it right away. Be careful, however, not to over-treat tree hollows. Do not remove decayed wood from hollows unless it falls away in your hands. (Cleaning hollows can cause additional internal damage.) If you can, cover the opening to hollows.

Read more about maintaining your trees here and here.

Monitor Your Tree
If your tree displays any of the following characteristics, be sure to contact a professional tree service for assistance:

• Cracks in the trunk or major limbs
• Signs of hollowing and decay
• Mushrooms growing from the bark
• Significant leaning to one side
• Limbs in contact with power lines
• Branches hanging over your house or garage

Will my homeowner’s insurance cover a tree toppling over?
A strong storm can make a healthy tree fall down. Your homeowner’s insurance policy coverage will depend upon: what caused the tree to fall and what kind of damage happened. Usually insurance protects your home and your property’s structures against “perils” such as wind. Your insurance will not cover damage caused by neglect or a maintenance-related problem. (If the tree was already rotten, insurance probably will not cover any damage from this tree.)

If a tree falls down but does not cause damage, your policy usually will not cover the cost of removal.

Have more insurance questions about trees? Contact Sibcy Cline Insurance Services.

Source and Video: TheTravelersCompanies