Insurance company games

[Nick Connell]

One of my customers has been having trouble from her insurance company in a way I never heard.

 

She moved house and told her insurance company they insisted she cut down a 15ft weeping willow about 30ft from the house and a 25ft goat willow around 12ft from the house. They told her that she would not be covered until they were cut down. She sent them before and after photos but they said this wasn't sufficient. She then paid £480 for a tree survey by the insurance company that now says she needs to cut down a small dead apple tree in the neighbours garden and dead wood a tall ash which is in the neighbours garden but slightly overhangs her garden 300ft from the house. All this before she is covered. I've never heard anything like it!

 

[Shane]

I think I would take my premiums elsewhere.

 

I know they panic about poplars and willows but this doesn't sound right to me.

[Arctostaphylos uva-ursi]

Something stinks. A small dead apple tree in her neighbours garden! How is that a risk?

[Nick Connell]

I know. How can they ask you to cut someone else's tree!

[Arctostaphylos uva-ursi]

Well I dont think they can. In fact I am sure they can't. Its not inside her control.

Are you sure your facts are straight? If she paid the Arb consultants to do the report I would recommend she take it up with them and tell them the difficulty she is having with the insurer.

[eggsarascal]

I don't get this. When we've got house insurance we tell them what we've got, what it's worth and a policy is agreed. Never been asked about trees.

 

How did what tress are about come into the scenario?

[Arctostaphylos uva-ursi]

It will probably be in an area prone to subsidence. Insurers are asking more and more nowadays about the vegetation around properties before agreeing insurance. They obviously do not want to insure properties that are considered high risk. But I think someone at the insurance company has got their knickers in a twist here and misunderstood the arb report. Either that or the arb consultant's haven't made it clear enough to the insurer what works is purely good management and what works constitute a reduction in risk.

Do you have the whole report Nick? If so does it make any distinction in the wider context of the report?

[Andyd1606]

I've had very similar a customer had to remove all trees within a certain radius. One was a large willow but the others a small cherry and row of small conifer trees was crazy. They also wanted a neighbours small apple tree removed before they would insure him. I advised to go with another company but the customer decided to remove the trees. The garden looked very bare and soulless afterwards which was a shame. We didn't remove the neighbours apple tree as quite rightly the neighbour told the insurance company to do one!

[easy-lift guy]

I presume your customer will be having her bank hold the mortgage for her home. Your customers bank may be pushing the insurance company to protect everyone's interest.

This would include removal of trees and other obstacles that can and will affect the shared risk between all parties concerned. Of course your customer could shop around for better rates of coverage or opinions, however I believe her choices will be limited if her bank is holding her mortgage.

easy-lift guy

[Nick Connell]

The customer owns the house without a mortgage so no bank involved. I can't believe you need a £480 tree survey to get your house insured after already taking down the willows!