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The Professional Gardener

Property Damage Estimate - trees

Lcgrace Mahoney

16 years ago

I'm trying to figure out what forum to post in. If you've got any ideas..please let me know.

There was a car accident in our front yard. The driver left the road and took out 4 trees on our side yard and took out my lilac bush.

I was contacted by the insurance agent and was given an offer. I'm not sure if I should just accept the 1st offer or bargain. I'm waiting for someone to give me a professional estimate.

The lilac bush was 10ft tall and a beautiful spread of about 8 ft. It was many branches coming up from the bottom. I'm guessing it to be at least 15 yrs old. The 4 trees are (1) 6" diam, (2) 4" diam, & (1) 3" diam. They were all about 15 ft tall.

The only thing that I'm concerned with is the lilac bush and reseeding the yard but if insurance is going to compensate...well...I want to get what is due (and fair).

Any ideas where I can look online for how to handle the situation? Or maybe a few of you have been in my position.

The offer looks good only because we aren't planning on replacing those trees.

Thanks! LC Grace

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Comments (2)

heptacodium
16 years ago
There are two ways of calculating the replacement value.

First, you call a local nursery and ask for the largest size of the respective plants they have/can get, and ask them for a quote including delivery and planting. Perhaps they'll have the same size, probably, it's going to be smaller.

Second, you call someone who is certified to do plant appraisals and ask for his input.

But honestly, if you're not going to replace the trees, take what they're giving you. You want what's fair, but to do with disingenuous motives is at least as wrong as getting a poor offer.

And we wonder why the rest of the world hates us.
Lcgrace Mahoney
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks so much for your advise and opinion, I think. My question was on how to handle the situation not for judgment.
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