What to do if a Tree Falls on Your House During a Storm

Published on March 25th, 2023

If a tree suddenly falls on your house, it can cause serious damage. This is especially true if the tree is large or very dense and heavy and lands on an area of your home that has weaker structural integrity or is near a bedroom.

If you have homeowner's insurance, you might be able to get some coverage for the damage caused by an accident or natural disaster. However, there are several things you should do first before filing a claim with your insurance company. Tips on what to do if a tree falls on your house include:

Safety First: Protect People Before Property

Get everyone out of the house. If a tree falls on your house or another structure on your property, your first priority is to get everyone out of it safely. 

If possible, and if you have your car keys, move cars out of harm's way if it looks like more damage might occur, and make sure your pets are safe and secure as well.

Immediately Evacuate and Call 911

After you are out of immediate danger, you should call 911 to have the fire department come check your home. Oftentimes a downed tree falls on your house in an area that has live electric connections and can start a fire.

Calling 911 not only helps if you or a family member sustained injuries from broken windows or broken branches but can also prevent further damage from a fire or injury from deadly electrical shock.

If there are downed wires, do not touch them. Call the electrical company or power company immediately and let them know that there are downed wires in your area. Do not try to remove or move a downed wire, as it could continue sending electricity through your body even after it's been disconnected from its source.

A public utility representative will be able to have an emergency damage control team out to your home along with the police and fire crew to prevent any further damage after a tree falls on your home or the power lines.

Some signs of an electrical problem from fallen trees include:

• downed power line
• breaker box issues
• flickering lights
• smell smoke from inside your home



Once Everyone Is Safe: Prevent Further Damage

As noted before, once everyone is safe, you'll want to be careful around the tree and your home in general. Don't try to work on tree removal alone without the help of emergency services or licensed professionals, especially large trees.

Some of the things you can do in the meantime to prevent more damage include:

• Board up windows
• Contact your gas supplier to check the gas line
• Place a contractor tarp over roofing holes to protect against extreme weather



If you have any questions about what to do next or how much damage has been done, call your insurance company as soon as possible so that they can help guide you through this process.

Contact Your Insurance Company to Begin the Claims Process

When you call your insurance company, be prepared to tell them:

• What happened and what type of disaster made the tree fall, like ice storms or high winds
• Your Policy #
• How many people are injured (if any).
• If there are any fire hazards nearby that need to be addressed by emergency services or the fire department.
• How severe is the damage to your home, and if there is any structural damage
• If any other structure was damaged, like your neighbor's house.

What Your Insurance Company Will Cover if a Tree Falls on Your House

If you have homeowner's insurance, your company will likely cover the cost of repairs to your house, depending on your insurance coverage. However, they may not pay for any damage done to your belongings or property inside the home, depending on your policy type, when disaster strikes your home's interior.

How Much Does Homeowners Insurance Cover For a Structure Damaged By a Tree?

The extent of the damage depends on what kind of tree fell on your home and how big it was. For example, a small tree can cause minor damage to the roof or siding, while a large one could totally destroy your house, which might exceed your coverage limits.

If you think that someone else caused the problem (for example, if your neighbor cut down a tree without permission), then your homeowner's insurance policy may work with your neighbor's insurance company and insurance agent during the insurance claim process.

Work with Legitimate Contractors to Repair Damage

If you are working with a reputable contractor, it's important that you get multiple quotes. Ask for references and proof of insurance.

Also ask for a no commitment estimates of repair costs, as well as a list of previous jobs they have completed in your area so that you can see what kind of work they do best. More than likely, you will need to work with a general contractor and a roofing professional to get your home in live-in condition again as a property owner.

Keep Track of Repair Expenses

Keep track of all expenses. If a tree falls on your house, the repair costs from repair work can add up quickly. To avoid any confusion and make sure you receive reimbursement for all of the repairs that need to be made, keep track of all receipts from contractors and other vendors who work on your property during storm cleanup.

Keep a notebook of repairs made to your home by writing down who did what work (e.g., tree removal), when they completed it (e.g., May 12), and how much they charged for their services (e.g., $100).

This way, when insurance adjusters come out to inspect damage later on in the process, there won't be any questions about whether or not something was repaired correctly or if there were any additional expenses incurred during this time period beyond what was covered by the insurance company's policy.

If you live in an area prone to storms, it's important to take steps to prevent future accidents. Here are some tips:

• Make sure your trees are well-trimmed and maintained. If you notice any dead or dying branches, remove them immediately--they could fall on your house during a storm if left alone for too long.
• Remove tall trees that may be blocking views of power lines or other hazards nearby (like houses).
• Make sure all tree care contractors working on your property are licensed and insured.
• Have your trees inspected regularly for a fall risk as well as dead branches that might need to be removed.
• Make sure that other trees near your home are healthy.

There are many ways to prevent a tree from falling on your house, by inspecting the health of your trees regularly. You can also prune branches away from the roofline of your home and power lines so that they won't interfere with each other if one falls off during strong winds.



Finally, always make sure there is enough space between trees and buildings so that if one does fall over, it doesn't cause damage!