When a tree falls from a storm, who pays for the cleanup?

Key Insights

• Homeowner’s insurance will only cover property damage; if the tree doesn’t hit a fence, roof, etc., then it will not go into effect
• The house that has been damaged will be the one to file a claim with their homeowner’s insurance (it doesn’t matter whose tree it is).
• If there’s no property damage, you and your neighbor should work together to remove the tree and clean up the yard.

Recent summer storms have everyone asking — who pays for the damages caused by a fallen tree?

When homeowner’s insurance kicks in

First, it’s important to know that once a tree is down, homeowner’s insurance only comes into effect if property is damaged. So if a tree falls cleanly onto the lawn, then the homeowner will likely have to pay for 100 percent of the tree removal costs. Some policies could provide coverage for tree removal. If a tree hits any property covered by the homeowner’s insurance policy, such as a fence or the house itself, then the policy could cover all repair and tree removal expenses, less the deductible.

When a tree falls onto a neighbor’s property

In the case above, we describe a scenario where a homeowner’s tree falls in his or her own yard. What happens if the tree is rooted in your yard, but falls into your neighbor’s yard? If property damage is caused, your neighbor will have to file a homeowner’s insurance claim on their own policy.

When a tree falls and there’s no property damage

If no damage is caused, and your tree falls clear into your neighbor’s yard, everything gets a bit stickier. Good manners dictate that you should, at minimum, offer to pay for some, if not all, of the removal expense.

Consider this: if valuable property of yours blew into your neighbor’s yard, you would expect to be able to retrieve it. This should apply to a not-so-valuable fallen tree as well — it’s still your obligation as it was something residing on your property. Besides, the discord that could come from ignoring the problem is likely worse than the expense of removing the offending stump and branches.

Having good neighbors often means being a good neighbor, so roll up your sleeves and extend a neighborly hand!

Live in a place that works for you

Many people are willing to risk falling trees for the privacy and beauty that mature trees bring to a property. But if you’re looking for a place that’s falling-tree free, reach out to see what your options are today.