GREENSBORO, N.C. — In case you missed it, hail came down in parts of the Triad this weekend.
It covered the ground and looked more like snow! All that hail means hail damage.
You could have a smashed-up windshield or dents on your hood and roof. No matter how it looks, you'll probably want it fixed. Are you covered for hail damage? You might think you are, but hail damage isn’t covered under all policies
Any kind of damage not related to an accident falls under Comprehensive coverage. This kind of coverage replaces or repairs your car if it is stolen or when it's a non-accident like a fire, vandalism, hail, or a tree limb.
If you don't have Comprehensive coverage then fixing this damage is all on your dime. If you have Comprehensive coverage, you can make an insurance claim. Should you make a claim? Will insurance drop you if you do?
“It's very rare we're going to see a home or auto insurance company drop a customer over one claim, that is less than 1% that I see that happening,” said Christopher Cook of Alliance Insurance Services.
Cook says your insurance premium probably won't go up either for just one claim. He says premiums go up when you have several claims in a span of time. For example, you got a speeding ticket last year, six months later you hit a deer and now it's six months from the last incident that you make a hail claim.
WHEN A TREE FALLS ON A HOUSE
The Insurance Information Institute says no matter where a tree came from --your yard, your neighbor's yard, it doesn't matter. If it hit your house -- your homeowners' insurance will cover the cost.
DANGEROUS TREE? PUT IT IN WRITING!
The only time your neighbor's insurance could be on the hook for paying for your damage is if you have already notified the neighbor, your insurance company, and theirs that the tree is a danger. This notification needs to be in writing BEFORE any damage takes place.
TREE REMOVAL: WHAT INSURANCE WILL & WON'T PAY FOR
Usually, the insurance company will cover the cost of getting the tree out of the house and repairing the house. But many policies don't cover cutting up the tree and physically removing it off your property-- that's an out-of-pocket cost.
Also, if the tree falls on your property and doesn't hit the house, chances are your insurance will NOT pay for any of the costs.
When you contract with a company for tree removal, make sure the cost includes the actual removal of the debris from your property. Many times the cost only includes cutting up the tree into manageable parts. Get it all in writing.