A beautifully landscaped yard doesn’t just turn heads—it can transform how you experience your home and even increase its market value. But beyond the aesthetics and added curb appeal, thoughtful landscaping can have unexpected impacts on something just as important: your home insurance. Whether you’re adding new plants, installing a patio, or building a backyard retreat, your outdoor choices come with risks and rewards. Here’s how to plan your landscaping project with both beauty and liability in mind.
How Does Landscaping Impact Your Home Insurance?
Landscaping can affect your home insurance by increasing your property’s replacement value, introducing liability risks, and creating potential claim exclusions if features are poorly maintained or undeclared. Structures such as decks, fire pits, retaining walls, and even trees can affect coverage, premiums, and eligibility for claims.
Seasonal Landscaping and Insurance Implications
Landscaping isn’t a one-time project—it’s a year-round responsibility. Each season brings unique maintenance tasks that can impact your property’s safety and insurance risks. For instance, failing to clear leaves in the fall can block drainage systems, while icy walkways in the winter increase the risk of liability claims.
- Spring: Remove winter debris, clean gutters, trim overgrown branches, and check for water damage around the property.
- Summer: Maintain lawns to prevent fire hazards, and ensure fire pits or BBQ setups are placed safely away from structures.
- Fall: Rake leaves, inspect drainage around retaining walls, and clean out gutters to prevent water backup.
- Winter: Keep walkways clear of snow and ice to prevent slip-and-fall incidents, which could lead to liability claims.
Safeguard Your Home
Get a free home insurance quote today and protect what matters most.
When Should You Tell Your Insurance Company About Landscaping Changes?
Many homeowners are unaware that significant landscaping projects should be disclosed to their home insurance provider. Failing to do so can result in coverage gaps or denied claims if damages occur.
Here are a few projects that should be reported:
- Installing a new deck, shed, pergola, or gazebo
- Adding a fire pit, outdoor kitchen, or hot tub
- Constructing a retaining wall or other permanent hardscaping
- Digging a pond or installing a water feature
- Laying a new driveway or patio
These additions can change your property’s replacement value or introduce new liability risks—so it’s always best to inform your insurer in advance.
Plan Everything Out and Do a Site Assessment
As with opening a garden, you always need to start with a plan. Begin by taking a look at and assessing your space. Take note of the space’s attributes, including noticeable sun/shade patterns, soil type, existing plants, and potential drainage issues. These are just a few things to consider. Also, consider the features you may want in your space, such as a play area for kids, a deck for entertaining, or a pool. If you are more visual, we suggest drawing a map of the property and planning where you want everything to go.
How it impacts your insurance:
As a principal, insurance providers care about anything that may impact the structure, risk profile, and safety of your property. For example, overgrown trees or poorly placed landscaping elements can increase the risk of damage to your home/property.
These mistakes could lead to consequences, such as overgrown roots damaging your foundation or a tree branch damaging your roofing. Moreover, these events may affect your premiums or claims.
What Plants Can Increase Insurance Risk?
The next thing to keep in mind is which plants are best suited to the climate. Use a variety of trees, shrubs, perennials, and ground cover to add texture and colour to your yard. Also, do some research into evergreen/winter-hardy and native plants ot the area to make your job easier going forward. Native plants usually require less water, fertilizer and care.
How it impacts your insurance:
Knowing which plants best suit your space can dramatically impact your insurance policy. As mentioned before, trees near your home can fall during storms, causing damage to your roof, siding or windows. Some trees with brittle wood or shallow roots are more likely to be downed in a storm. It is also important not to plant any higher-maintenance trees in your yard if you do not think you are up for their upkeep. Insurers may not cover any damages caused by neglected trees. It is also worth noting that if a neighbour’s tree damages your property, you may have to prove negligence to get the damage covered.
Do Hardscaping Features Affect Home Insurance Coverage?
Hardscaping refers to constructed areas in an outdoor space. This refers to landscaped walkways, patios, retaining/sitting walls, fire pits, water features, and other constructed structures. Here are a few landscaping tips for hardscaping by area type.
- Edging: Choosing to border your garden beds gives a clean look and prevents grass from spreading.
- Paths & Patios: Use stones, gravel, and pavers to help create sections in your land. This trick is excellent for defining walkways and seating areas.
- Adding Structures: Independent structures like fences, arbours and pergolas can not only add shade, but also privacy and visual interest.
Sheds, Fences, and Decks
Structures like these are usually covered under Detached Structures or Other Structures within your home insurance policy. As with any property, maintenance is key. Damage caused by issues like rotting wood or other wear and tear is often not covered under your policy. Damage is only covered when it is sudden or accidental. So, make sure you take care of these structures as you would any other part of your property.
Hardscaping, Retaining Walls, Patios, and Pathways
For features such as retaining walls, patios, and driveways, some policies may include coverage, but not all do. Some other base policies may not include them unless they are added. The considerable risk for these features comes from poor drainage from landscaping, which leads to water backup or foundation damage. This factor is worth noting because it may not be included in your home insurance policy unless you have sewer backup/overland water protection.
Final Landscaping Touches
Here are some final touches you can add to your space as part of your landscaping.
- Add Some Mulch: Mulch is not only aesthetically pleasing but also helps retain moisture, suppress weeds, and tidy up your garden beds.
- Look Into Lighting: Options such as solar lights, string lights, and spotlights enhance both safety and ambiance. It can instantly bring your outdoor space together!
- Install Some Decor Items: A great way to tie your space together is to add in some focal points. Garden statues, birdbaths, or planters help to personalize your space and give it a cohesive look.
What Landscaping Features Create Liability Risks?
Your landscaping decisions don’t just affect your property—they can also impact your liability as a homeowner. Poorly maintained or designed outdoor spaces can pose serious risks to guests, neighbours, or even passersby.
Common issues that lead to liability claims:
- Uneven or cracked walkways that cause trips or falls.
- Unsecured retaining walls are collapsing onto a neighbouring property.
- Landscaping features that attract bees or wasps, leading to allergic reactions.
To minimize these risks:
- Regularly inspect and maintain all outdoor structures.
- Clearly define pathways and repair damage promptly.
- Avoid placing risky features (e.g., fire pits, ponds) too close to property lines.
Protect Yourself With Adequate Insurance Coverage
To start, you must ensure your liability insurance, which is usually included in a home insurance policy, is an adequate amount for your property. Also, you can add extra coverage to cover all your bases. If you have significant assets or high-risk landscaping features, such as fire pits or ponds, you may need an additional umbrella policy.
What Common Questions Do People Ask About Landscaping and Insurance?
Yes, landscaping can increase premiums for a couple of reasons:
- If it raises the property’s replacement value
- If it introduces additional liability risks (fire pits or large trees close to the home)
Do I need to tell my insurer about landscaping changes?
Yes, especially if it is a hardscaping feature. You should inform your insurance provider about any permanent structures, water features, or major projects to avoid any gaps in coverage.
Are trees covered by home insurance?
It depends. Trees are typically covered only after sudden, insured events, such as storms. However, damages that are caused by neglect or poor maintenance may not be covered.
Is liability insurance affected by landscaping?
Yes. Any unsafe features, like uneven walkways or collapsing retaining walls, can lead to liability claims under your home insurance policy.
Bundle All of Your Policies for Maximum Savings!
Speak with an isure broker to find out how.
Concluding Thoughts on Landscaping:
Landscaping is more than just a way to boost your home’s curb appeal—it’s a crucial part of maintaining the safety, value, and insurability of your property. Whether you’re dreaming up a backyard oasis or simply refreshing your garden beds, it’s essential to plan carefully, maintain regularly, and keep your insurance provider informed of any major changes.
Insurance guidelines and coverage vary by provider and province, so homeowners should always review their individual policy or speak with a licensed insurance broker. A little foresight today can help you avoid costly surprises tomorrow.
Get your backyard ready for the warm months ahead with Read more
Summer is the perfect time to give your home some Read more
Properly opening and closing your garden each season is key Read more
