Does homeowners insurance cover storm damage tree removal?
Short answer. Partly. When a storm drops a tree on your house or another insured structure, the policy generally pays to get it off, but the removal coverage often has its own limit, commonly $1,000 per storm and $500 per tree on standard forms, which a large crane job can exceed. Stump grinding and removing trees that hit nothing are usually not covered.
What tree removal involves
Getting a large tree off a roof is not like cutting one in the yard. It can involve a crane, climbers, rigging to lower sections without dropping them on the house, and a crew to haul the wood. After major storms, removals like this can cost several thousand dollars.
How policies split the cost
Policies handle this differently. Some insurers pay for the work needed to get the tree off the structure as part of the dwelling repair, and apply the smaller tree removal limit to hauling the debris away. Others apply the tree removal limit to the whole job. Ask the adjuster directly, before the work, how your policy will treat each part.
What is usually covered
- Removing a tree felled by windstorm, hail or the weight of ice or snow that hit the house, garage, fence or shed.
- Removing a neighbor's tree that fell on your property and hit a structure.
- Limited removal when a fallen tree blocks your driveway or an accessibility ramp.
What usually is not
- Stump grinding and root removal.
- Replanting.
- Trees that fell without hitting anything or blocking access.
- Taking down damaged trees that are still standing.
Paperwork that gets you paid
- Photos and video of the tree on the structure before any cutting.
- An itemized invoice that separates removal from the house, crane time, and hauling.
- Photos of the roof once the tree is off, before tarping.
More: emergency tarping and mitigation and how to file a claim.