tree attacks garage and car

During the torrentially rainy weekend of 15 April 2007 a neighbor's 100 year old 100ft tall white oak attacked my backyard, with these results.

IMAGE(http://mywebpages.comcast.net/dankephoto/images/garagetn.jpg)

IMAGE(http://mywebpages.comcast.net/dankephoto/images/crushedMBtn.jpg)

The garage now slants at about a 5 degree angle from vertical. The '68 280S Benz got crushed at about the rear wheel line. Yowzaa!

Homeowner's insurance apparently will pay for the removal of the tree off the garage (and car), and will pay for the repair/replacement of the garage, but I'm SOL on getting any $$ for the (un-insured) car.

snif, snif - at least it seems to have completely missed the '83 GTI . . .

dan k

Comments

Jon's picture

Nothing on the car? Really? Is it titled in your name, so you can prove ownership? It should be covered to some degree, as it was damaged in the same incident that damaged the garage. It should be a part of the same claim. If it's not, then at all possible get it on the same claim. One point to check is did your neighbor do any tree trimming to correct a possible fall? That might fall under a failure of maintenance, or improper maintenance, neither of which is insurable, IIRC. However storm damage should be in general. I do a lot of work with insurance companies over damages, but it's usually fire or auto-strike related.

dankephoto's picture

My homeowner's insurance specifically excludes vehicles. I guess the theory is that cars (& boats, motorbikes, etc.) are usually insured in their own right. In this case, car was awaiting a modest resto (long time a-waiting, it turned out) and I hadn't insured it since it was safe in the back yard.

dan k

DrBunsen's picture

NOOOOOO! Not the 68 Merc!

Ow.