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HOME : Just the FAQs Ma'amInsuring Your Roots: The Case of the Damaged ShrubI was standing out on my porch the other day, chatting with my next-door neighbour, when my neighbour across the street got in his car and backed out of his driveway in a terrible hurry -- right into my beautiful flowering shrub! He not only ripped the shrub out of the ground, but made a huge rut in my lawn as well. Even worse, I find out that he's driving without car insurance! But more to the point, will my insurance cover my plant plight? I'll bet you feel like you've really been bushwhacked! But the good news is, if you have any of the package homeowner's policies -- standard, broad-form, or comprehensive -- your insurance will pay for replacing your precious rhododendron. Your homeowner's policy will pay up to five per cent of the total insurance on your house to cover trees, plants, or shrubs that have been damaged by a number of perils, including "impact by land vehicle" -- i.e., your near-sighted neighbour's car. This amount also includes the cost of removing any debris from your property as a result of the accident. There is a maximum limit of $500 for any one plant. When it comes to your replacing your sod, however, the grass isn't so green. Damage to lawns is not normally covered under any of the homeowner's policies. Since you know who caused the damage, you have two choices: you can either claim on your homeowner's policy for the damage to the shrub, or you can try to recover the money -- including the cost of replacing the sod -- from your neighbour. If you claim under your homeowner's policy, you will have to pay the deductible (the portion of the claim you've agreed to pay). Depending on what your deductible is, claiming on your policy might not even be an option. If you have a high deductible, for example, that could be more than the cost to replace the shrub. Let's say your deductible is $500, and it will cost $500 -- or less -- to replace your shrub. In that case, your only solution is to ask Wrong Way Corrigan to pay up. Note: The preceding information is based on the Insurance Bureau of Canada's guideline wordings. Remember, policies vary, so when in doubt, Contact Us.
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