Does insurance pay for downed trees?
The debris removal rule
On the standard form many insurers use, removal of fallen trees is an additional coverage with its own limit, commonly $1,000 per loss and no more than $500 for any one tree. It applies to your trees felled by windstorm, hail or the weight of ice, snow or sleet, and to a neighbor's trees felled by a covered cause, when the tree:
- damages a covered structure, or
- blocks a driveway so a vehicle cannot get in or out, or
- blocks a ramp or fixture a person with a disability uses to enter or leave the home.
Your deductible may apply. Some insurers use different limits or wording, so read the additional coverages section of your own policy.
Trees on the house are handled differently
When a tree is lying on the roof, cutting it off the house is usually treated as part of repairing the dwelling, because the roof cannot be fixed until it is gone. The $500 per tree cap tends to come into play for hauling the trunk and limbs off the property once they are on the ground. Ask your adjuster how your carrier splits it, and get an itemized invoice from the tree service showing crane time, cutting and hauling separately.
What is not covered
- Downed trees in the yard or woods that hit nothing.
- Stump grinding and replanting in most cases.
- Standing dead or leaning trees removed as a precaution.
Before the chainsaws start
Photograph the tree where it fell and whatever it hit. If it is on the house, call your insurer first unless waiting puts people at risk. Then see emergency protection and tarping and wind damage claims.