Will Home Insurance Cover My Landscaping if It’s Damaged?

Your homeowners insurance can insure your landscaping including trees and shrubs, but only against specifically named perils. In addition, each item may have a sublimit, meaning your insurer will only pay up to a certain amount per item.

Read on to learn more about how much of your landscaping may be covered and some restrictions to keep in mind.

On This Page

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  What Type of Landscaping Does Home Insurance Cover?

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  When Won’t Home Insurance Cover Landscaping Damage?

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  Does Home Insurance Cover Yard Erosion or Garden Walls?

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  Do I Need Additional Coverage for My Landscaping?

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  FAQs

What Type of Landscaping Does Home Insurance Cover?

Your homeowners insurance policy can cover several types of plants in your landscaping such as trees, shrubs, flowers and even artificial plants and grass. Nonpermanently affixed hardscape property like fire pits and certain gazebos may be covered as well. However, unlike the structure of your home, which is usually insured on an open peril basis, your landscaping may only have named peril coverage and may be protected against only the following:^[1]

• Fire or lightning
• Explosion
• Riot
• Civil commotion
• Aircraft
• Vehicles not owned by household members
• Vandalism or malicious mischief
• Theft

If your policy has tree debris removal coverage, your insurance company may cover up to $1,000 for tree removal costs if a tree fell on your home, shed or some other covered structure. However, this will only be covered if the tree fell due to a covered peril such as a strong gust during a windstorm.^[2]

Is There a Coverage Limit for Landscaping?

Your insurance company will typically limit coverage for your landscaping at 5% of your dwelling coverage.^[2] For example, if your policy has $500,000 in dwelling coverage, then you’ll only be covered for up to $25,000 for losses to your landscaping.

In addition, there may be a separate limit for each item. For example, your policy may only pay up to $500 to $750 for each individual tree, plant or shrub.^[2] So even if you paid $1,000 for a tree, your insurer may only pay up to $750 if it is lost in a fire.

When Won’t Home Insurance Cover Landscaping Damage?

In general, a homeowners insurance policy will not cover gradual forms of damage, which can include damages caused by rodents, pests, disease and rot. In addition, certain types of natural disasters will not be covered such as mudslides, landslides, floods and earthquakes.

Any type of commercial activity will also be excluded from your homeowners insurance coverage. If you plan to sell the plants you grow in your yard, those items will not be covered if they are lost in a fire, burglary or another otherwise covered peril.

Another thing to note: if your tree falls due to a covered peril, your insurer generally will not cover the cost to remove it unless it hits your house, shed or some other covered structure.

Keep in mind that your policy’s deductible, the amount you pay before insurance coverage starts, affects your ability to file a claim. If your landscaping losses fall below your deductible, you can't file a claim. Even if losses slightly exceed the deductible, filing a homeowners insurance claim may not be worth it, as your premium might increase at renewal, offsetting any short-term savings.

Does Home Insurance Cover Yard Erosion or Garden Walls?

In general, a standard homeowners insurance policy does not cover any type of earth movement and that includes yard erosion. So, if you experience lawn damage because your soil starts shifting due to weather conditions (which can also affect your home’s foundation), fixing it will be an out-of-pocket expense.^[3]

On the other hand, some insurers may classify retaining walls as an other structure, meaning they should be covered in the same way as a fence. If this is the case, your retaining wall should be insured against perils like fire, lightning, vehicle damage and more.^[3] However, some insurers may exclude coverage for retaining walls, so it’s best to double-check the details of your policy.

Do I Need Additional Coverage for My Landscaping?

If the overall cost of your landscaping efforts is on the lower side, then the landscaping coverage already built into your home insurance policy may already be enough. While your insurer may apply a sublimit of $500 to $750 per item, the cost of many shrubs, flowers and trees would fall well below this limit. Even buying a large and mature tree will generally only range in cost from $250 to $800.^[4]

However, if you are seeking more coverage, then you can talk to your insurance company about buying a scheduled property endorsement.