If you own a home you probably have a home insurance policy – especially if you currently have a mortgage on your property (this is required by your lender). Although nobody wants to think about making a claim, this is something that you may need to do at some point.

As you can imagine, some claims are quite common among homeowners in the United States. These include: fire damage, water damage, and theft.

Just because a claim is uncommon does not mean your insurance company will deny it. As long as you can explain what happened and prove it to be true, you should be able to receive compensation for the damage or losses.  With that said, it is important to always be aware of potential hazards to avoid having to make a claim in the first place.

Here Are a Few Example of Improbable (Yet True) Claims

1. A tree through the middle of your home. The next time you are outside your home, take a look around. Are there any trees in close proximity to your structure? If so, do you ever ask yourself what would happen if the tree were to come crashing down?

Every year, thousands of people throughout the country make a home insurance claim due to a tree smashing through their home. The bigger the tree the more damage there is.

Tip: protect yourself against this crazy insurance claim by keeping trees a safe distance from your home. Additionally, make sure you prune your trees from time to time. This can go a long way in keeping the size under control.

2. Wild animals living in your house. There are many animals that would love to make their way into your home. And these animals don’t want to be your pet. Instead, they are seeking food and shelter.

It is safe to say that you don’t want to offer your home up to a wild animal, such as a raccoon or squirrel.

Unfortunately, this problem is beginning to become more serious as land development continues and animals find that there is less and less space to live in the wild.

Imagine how much damage a raccoon could do to the interior or your home. From torn up drywall to damaged flooring and much more, a wild animal in a home is never a good combination.

Tip: Make sure your home is sealed as tight as possible from the outside. It does not take much space for an animal to gain entrance. And of course, you never want to leave any exterior doors open for an extended period of time (This includes pet doors). Doing this is like an open invitation – especially if it is dark outside.

3. Hose in the window prank. While the perpetrator may think this is a prank, you will soon find that your home is flooded with water.

Do you have a hose connection on the side of your home? This is the case in most homes, new and old. Is there a window nearby?

It does not take long for a vandal to turn the hose on and open (or break) the window. From there, the hose is inserted into your home and the water damage begins.

It only takes a few seconds for running water to damage the interior of your home. It is safe to say that this will lead to a pricey home insurance claim.

Tip: when not in use, turn off the outside water from the inside of your home. Along with this, keep all windows locked.

These home insurance claims may sound unlikely, but many people are forced to deal with them every year. Being aware of potential issues are the house can save yourself a lot of time and hassle in the future.