What to Do First if a Tree Falls on Your House
Get everyone out safely, then call your insurer before moving anything, so the damage gets documented for your claim.
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After a tree is down on your house
Once everyone is safe and the house is stable enough to approach, your homeowners policy likely treats this as wind damage, which standard policies cover, including the cost to remove the tree when it damaged the roof or another insured structure. A tree that falls with no damage to anything it hit usually isn't covered, since removal alone isn't a covered loss. Photograph the tree, the point of impact, and any rooms exposed to rain before you tarp or board anything, since insurers expect you to prevent further damage but also need to see what happened. Keep receipts for tarps, plywood, or a tree service, since reasonable emergency costs are usually reimbursed. Your deductible applies here, and if your state or insurer uses a separate wind or hurricane deductible, your declarations page will show which one applies to this storm.
Check what rebuilding actually costs
A fallen tree can mean roof repair, water damage, and tree removal all at once, and those costs stack up fast against your deductible. Comparing what other policies would pay here is worth the few minutes it takes.
What if the tree came from a neighbor's yard
Where the tree was standing before it fell does not usually decide who pays. In most states, your own homeowners policy covers the damage to your house and the cost of removing the tree, no matter whose property it grew on, as long as the loss itself is covered. Insurance for this kind of damage is based on what fell on you, not whose yard it started in.
There are exceptions worth checking. If the neighbor knew the tree was dead, rotting, or likely to fall and did nothing about it, their policy's liability coverage may end up responsible for the damage, and your insurer can pursue that after paying your claim. This is called subrogation, and it happens behind the scenes between insurers. You still file with your own company first and let them sort out whether anyone else owes money back.
Talking to the neighbor is still worth doing, especially if the tree was already a known problem or if there's any dispute about where the property line runs. Some homeowners handle the removal and repair costs between themselves if both carry insurance and the damage is minor enough that neither wants to file a claim. That's a personal decision, not something the policy requires. It only makes sense when the cost is close to what a deductible would eat up anyway.
If part of the tree is still on the neighbor's property after it falls, that portion is usually their responsibility to clear. The part on your land and your house falls to your policy. Large trees that span a property line can get complicated enough that both insurers end up involved. None of this changes what to do right away. Document the damage, call your own insurer, and let the adjuster ask the questions about ownership and fault once the claim is open.
What the adjuster will actually look at
When the adjuster comes out, they're checking two things. What the tree did to the house, and whether the house needs anything beyond what's visible from the ground. They'll check the roof deck, not just the shingles, because a tree limb can crack sheathing or rafters without punching all the way through. If the tree hit near a wall or window, they'll look for frame movement, not just broken glass. This is why the photos taken right after the storm matter. They show the adjuster what moved and what didn't, before tarps and plywood covered it up.
Water is usually the bigger issue, not the tree itself. A roof opened up for even a few hours during rain can soak insulation and drywall that won't show staining for days. Mention any rooms that got wet, even if it looked minor at the time, since mold from a slow leak is a much harder claim to make later if it wasn't noted at the start. If the adjuster missed something, or water damage shows up after the first inspection, the claim can be reopened. Call the same claims number and reference the original claim, rather than starting a new one.
The payout usually comes in stages. An initial check covers emergency work, tarps, board-up, tree removal, and the adjuster's first estimate of repair costs. If the roofer or contractor finds more damage once they're actually working, like rot under shingles that wasn't visible from the inspection, that becomes a supplement to the claim, not a separate issue. Contractors who deal with insurance repairs regularly know how to document this in a way adjusters accept. That's part of why getting a few estimates from storm-damage contractors, not just the first one available, tends to pay off.
Keep a simple log of who comes to the house, including the adjuster's name and the date, and what the tree service or roofer tells you about the damage. This is paperwork, not strategy. If the claim stalls, or the estimate feels low against what two or three contractors actually quote for the repair, that log is what backs up a request for a second look. Most storm claims close without any of this being necessary. It matters on the ones that don't.
Before you file
Pull up your declarations page and find your wind or hurricane deductible, not just your standard one. Knowing that number now tells you what this storm will actually cost you before the adjuster does.
