"zxcvbob" wrote in message
...
paghat wrote:
In article Y96Xc.90515$TI1.90202@attbi_s52, "Alan Sung"
wrote:


This past winter a large SUV crashed into a Norway Maple in front of my
house out near the road. The tree has a 7" caliper, 21" circumference
and is
about 35-40 feet high. A chunk of the bark about 18" high and about 1/3
of
the circumference was knocked off down to the bare wood.

The driver was very cordial and said that their insurance would pay for
the
damage. I had a certified horticulturalist from Weston Nurseries come
and
look at the tree and write a letter giving an estimate. It says "This
tree
will continue to live for several more years, however, with each year
this
tree will leaf out less and less, resulting in rotting branches and
internal
rot of the exposed hard wood due to the extensive cambium layer scar. No
remedial action can save this tree."

The numbers we
Tree: $5,000
Delivery w/crane truck: $275
Tree and stump removal: $600
Installation w/3 laborers and compost soil: $600

After sending this information off to Commerce Insurance, they came back
and
said "We'll give you $500 because we do not think the tree needs to be
replaced and that's all that the damaged bark is worth. We sent an
adjuster
to look at the tree and it looks just fine."

I am looking to get a second opinion from another certified
horticulturalist
who is familiar with tree values and associated costs. Does anyone have
any
recommendations or the best way to proceed?

Thanks,
-al sung
Hopkinton, MA


I think the arborist gave you a very sound diagnosis, & the insurance
company is doing what insurance companies always attempt to do, evade
payment.

Your next letter to them should be from your attorney, with added costs
of
a second aborist's diagnosis, plus attorney fees.

But bare in mind that moving a full grown tree to a new location is not
the most certain way of getting a healthy tree. Unless it comes with a
three-year guarantee (you'll be lucky to get a one-year guarantee, from
tree movers who know it'll last that long at least so they're safe
offering that limited promise) the chances of it slowly wasting away are
very good for an uprooted & transported adult tree. A much younger tree
will settle in much more certainly.

-paghat the ratgirl


It might be better to file a claim against your homeowner's policy and
let your insurance company sue the other insurance co. At least talk to
your insurance agent about how to collect from the other deadbeat
insurance company. (it gets interesting if they are the same company)

BTW, around here, Norway Maple is considered an invasive exotic species.


One thing to consider about filing a claim with your insurance company is
that it could end-up getting you dropped, particularly if you have filed
other claims in the last few years. Insurance companies have been
scrambling to cut cost recently with the loss of investment income coupled
with underwriting losses from large-scale disasters. In Ohio, insurers have
been reviewing their files and dropping anyone with more than two claims in
three to five years. I know of two people who were dropped this year even
though they had only filed two small claims that were related to damage
beyond their control. Another person received an advisory letter. In
addition, I learned recently that people are checking the number of claims
that a home seller has filed as part of their home search to make sure that
they can get insurance and that the premiums will be affordable. Filing a
claim may make it harder to sell your home if that is a possibility. Life
never gets more simple.