Debris removal insurance is not a policy but a coverage inside every homeowners form: after a covered loss, the policy pays the reasonable cost to remove the debris the loss created, the burnt structure, the fallen roof, the tree that came through the window, in addition to paying for the repair. It has its own limit, usually a percentage above the dwelling coverage, and its own rules about trees, which is where most questions come from. The Insurance Information Institute's NAIC-based figure puts the average US homeowners premium at $1,411 for 2021, and the average renters premium at $170; both are national averages that no single household pays, and the rate pages on this site show what carriers actually file where you live.
What it pays
The cost of demolishing, hauling and disposing of the remains of a covered loss, including the contents ruined with it, up to the debris removal limit stated in the policy. When the loss uses the whole dwelling limit, an additional percentage is usually available for debris so the rebuild is not shortchanged by the clean-up.
Trees, the usual question
A tree that falls on the house, a covered structure or blocks the driveway is covered for removal within a stated tree limit; a tree that falls in the yard and hits nothing is generally not, unless the policy adds it. Which peril felled it matters too: wind and lightning are covered causes, rot and neglect are not.
What is excluded
Debris from an excluded cause, flood debris in particular, which the flood policy handles; pollutants and contaminated soil beyond the policy's small pollutant limit; and clearing that is maintenance rather than the aftermath of a loss. FEMA's FloodSmart notes that almost one-third of NFIP flood claims come from outside high-risk flood areas, and a standard homeowners or renters policy does not cover flood at all.
Questions people ask about debris removal insurance
What is debris removal insurance?
The coverage in a homeowners policy that pays to clear the remains of a covered loss, above the repair cost, up to its own limit.
Does it cover removing a fallen tree?
When the tree damages a covered structure or blocks access, within the tree limit; a tree that hits nothing usually not.
Is flood debris covered?
No; the flood policy handles it.