Are you hearing unexpected cracking sounds from outside?

Tree branches have been crashing under the weight of ice, rain, and other natural (and human) disasters. 

If one falls on your house or car, use these tips:

• Take photos of the damage before you move the tree, make repairs, or take other steps to prevent more damage.

• Make temporary repairs to prevent more damage, and contact your agent or insurance company as soon as possible.

• Save your receipts for reimbursement. Your homeowner policy should cover materials and labor used to make repairs.

FAQ about trees that fall in your yard

A tree fell on my house and damaged my roof. Will my homeowner's insurance pay for repairs?

Many policies pay for damages from falling objects, like trees. Call your agent or company to ask if your policy will pay.

A tree fell in my yard. Will my homeowner's insurance policy pay for tree removal?

Many policies provide some coverage to remove trees or limbs that fell due to storm damage and damage your house or block your driveway. Trees and limbs falling in your yard usually aren’t covered. Call your agent or company to ask if your policy will pay.

My neighbor's tree fell on my house. Will my neighbor´s homeowners policy pay for the damage and tree removal?

Probably not, unless your neighbor was at fault. Your neighbor isn’t responsible for acts of nature. If your neighbor's policy doesn’t pay, you can file a claim under your own policy. 

A tree fell on my car. Will my auto insurance pay for the damage to my car? 

Your auto policy will pay for damages if you have comprehensive coverage.

If the tree was your neighbor’s, their homeowner's insurance might pay if your neighbor is somehow at fault. If not, their policy likely won’t pay because your neighbor isn’t responsible for an act of nature.

Removing a Fallen Tree

When a tree falls on your property, there are some steps you should take to ensure it is removed safely and properly. Obviously, the first step is to ensure that you and your family get to safety if the tree fell on any part of your home. There could be some issues with the structure and you should not stay in the building until an expert assesses the condition of the building.

Sometimes, insurance companies may or may not cover storm damage--it depends on your home or auto policy. You will need to contact the company to see if they will cover the damage that was incurred by the fallen tree. 

If they determine the tree was already weakened and you should have had it removed already, they might attribute that to negligence and say that you should have had the tree removed on your own.

Always call to see what they will cover for you.

If a large tree falls, then it could take specialized tools to remove it safely such as a grapple truck, chainsaws, and wood chippers. These pieces of equipment can be dangerous to operate if you do not have any experience using them, and may end up causing injury to you. They can also remove the tree debris safely from your home, shed, car, or any other structure it may have fallen into so that the process of fixing the damage in your home can begin.

A tree expert will also know the best way to chop up the tree, making it an efficient process. If you try to do this on your own, it is risky, but it will also take up a lot of time when you need to work on recovering from the damage.