Will a Treehouse Raise My Home Insurance?

If you build a treehouse in your backyard, will it have an impact on your homeowners insurance premiums?
Written by Brady Klopfer
Reviewed by Carrie Adkins
Treehouses might raise your insurance prices. You should check with your provider for a definite answer.
When you’re a kid, a treehouse is the ultimate form of fun. You can climb it, hang out in it, play make-believe in it, or just hide away for some peace and quiet. It’s just like the house the adults have, except way cooler since it’s in a tree.
There’s still some magic to treehouses when you grow up, but there are also some harder realities. If you’re building a treehouse in your backyard for your kid, you might find yourself realizing that maybe your childhood treehouse wasn’t quite as safe as you thought it was when you were young. You’ll probably find yourself wanting to take precautions to make it as safe as possible so your children don’t get hurt.
And you may find yourself wondering what might happen to your insurance premiums. Read on to find out everything you need to know about having a treehouse with homeowners insurance—with a little help from
car insurance
comparison and broker app
Jerry
.
RECOMMENDED
Compare auto insurance policies
No spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms
Find insurance savings

How is a treehouse classified?

On many homeowners insurance policies, a treehouse isn’t specifically listed. But it may appear as an "attractive nuisance." An attractive nuisance is a toy or structure that kids are attracted to, but probably don’t understand the danger of. Trampolines and swimming pools are prime examples of an attractive nuisance.
MORE: Is tree removal covered by home insurance?

Will a treehouse raise homeowners insurance premiums?

Sometimes. More often than not, a treehouse won’t raise your homeowners insurance premiums, because they’re simply not as dangerous as most other attractive nuisances.
But it all depends on where you live, and the insurance company issuing your policy. Many insurance companies will raise your premiums slightly to help compensate for the added risk that they are assuming. If someone who doesn’t live at your home is hurt on your treehouse, then that’s your responsibility, and therefore could fall onto the shoulders of your homeowners insurance policy.
Your premiums are unlikely to rise a large amount due to the presence of a treehouse, but they might rise a little bit.
Let Jerry find your price in only 45 seconds
No spam · No long forms · No fees
Find insurance savings

How to keep your premiums low

If your insurance is going to be pricier because of your treehouse, there are some things that you can do to minimize how much your premiums will rise. Most of those things focus on increasing the safety and legality of the treehouse on your property.
For starters, a treehouse should always be legal. That means it can’t be close to power lines, and it can’t give occupants a view inside neighboring homes. If you have a treehouse that isn’t legal, you probably won’t even be able to get homeowners insurance.
After legality, you want to focus on having a safe treehouse. The treehouse should be very stable, and be well secured to a strong and sturdy tree. The lower to the ground, the safer, and the softer the surface beneath the treehouse, the better. The fewer dangerous elements (like risky rope swings) the better, even though that’s not always as fun.
This doesn’t mean you need to disassemble your treehouse and make it boring. But the safer it is, the better your chances at not having your premiums raised.

When in doubt, ask your insurance agent

The worst thing that you can do as a homeowner is add a potentially dangerous item without informing your insurance company. If you don’t disclose things that could raise your premiums or increase risk at your home, your insurance company could try to void your insurance when you file a claim.
So if you have a treehouse or are thinking of building a treehouse, simply reach out to your insurance agent to find out how it will impact your homeowners insurance rates.
Treehouses are a fun addition to any home, and they usually don’t have much of an impact on your homeowners insurance. Just make sure you’ve done your research before you start building.

How to save on home insurance

While your insurance agent might reassure you about prices, it's also sensible to look into other alternatives and shop around. For a good rate, try bundling home and
car insurance
with
Jerry
. A licensed broker, Jerry does all the hard work of finding cheap quotes from the top name-brand insurance companies and buying new car insurance. Jerry will even help you cancel your old policy.
And to ensure you always have the lowest rate, Jerry will send you new quotes every time your policy comes up for renewal, so you’re always getting the coverage you want at the best price.
RECOMMENDED
Haven’t shopped for insurance in the last six months? There might be hundreds $$$ in savings waiting for you.
avatar
Judith switched to Progressive
icon savingsSaved $725 annually
avatar
Alexander switched to Travelers
icon savingsSaved $834 annually
avatar
Annie switched to Nationwide
icon savingsSaved $668 annually
Are you overpaying for car insurance?
Compare quotes and find out in 45 seconds.
Try Jerry

Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance

√
No long forms
√
No spam or unwanted phone calls
√
Quotes from top insurance companies
Find insurance savings