Planting new trees 'could force homeowners to claim on insurance'
Published On 29 April 2008
Many homeowners are planning on planting trees in their garden in the coming months, but they need to be careful they do not put their property in danger of subsiding, a leading insurance provider has warned.Sainsbury's Home Insurance revealed that 9.7 million people plan to plant a new tree in their garden in the coming year.
However, the company said that homeowners needed to do research to make sure the tree was appropriate before it was planted.
It explained that planting the wrong tree could increase the risk of subsidence and force people to claim on their home insurance.
In fact, the company said that 12 per cent of all the money paid out for subsidence by Sainsbury's Home Insurance is for claims caused by trees or other vegetation.
Neil Laird, Sainsbury's Home Insurance manager, explained: "Planting trees is not only a commendable act in today's environmental climate; a well thought out garden can also add significant value to your property.
"However, people intending to plant a tree in their garden this year should be very careful about which type of tree they plant and how far away from the property they plant it."
Recently, a spokesperson from the Association of British Insurers warned homeowners not to opt for the cheapest home insurance policies.
