Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Tree Removal After a Storm?

If a tree falls during a storm and damages your home or blocks access, home insurance usually covers removal, as long as the event is a covered peril.

Find out if you're overpaying for homeowners insurance below.

Written by Mark Fitzpatrick

Updated: December 5, 2025

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Key Takeaways

Homeowners insurance usually covers both repairs and tree removal if a covered peril (like wind, lightning or fire) causes the tree to fall.

Damage or removal caused by rot, age, flooding or earthquakes is generally excluded unless you have specific policy endorsements.

Regularly trimming trees and removing dead or leaning ones helps prevent costly damage and improves your chances of a successful claim.

Does Home Insurance Cover Fallen Trees?

Homeowners insurance covers fallen trees when they damage your home or other insured structures and the cause is a covered peril like wind, lightning, hail, fire, vandalism or a vehicle crash. In terms of tree removal, home insurance covers fallen trees when:

A storm knocks a tree onto your house, garage, fence or shed.
A tree falls due to fire, explosion, lightning, aircraft, riot, vandalism, theft or a non-owned vehicle and lands on your property.
A neighbor's tree falls onto your home or yard due to a covered event.

The tree's origin doesn't affect coverage. Your insurer pays to remove the tree whether it fell from your yard, a neighbor's property or a nearby lot, as long as a covered peril caused the damage. However, if your neighbor's tree was visibly diseased or dead before it fell, their negligence may make them liable for damages. You can file through your own policy first, but your insurer might seek reimbursement from your neighbor's homeowners insurance.

Coverage varies by policy and state. Contact your insurer to verify specific coverage details.

TREE REMOVAL COVERAGE LIMITS

Most homeowners policies cap tree removal coverage at $500 to $1,000 per tree or 5% of your dwelling coverage, though limits vary by insurer. Some policies set an aggregate limit for all trees removed after a single storm event, commonly $2,500 to $5,000 total.

If three trees fall during a hurricane and your policy has a $1,000 per-tree limit with a $3,000 aggregate cap, you're covered for all three removals. But if a fourth tree falls, you'd pay out of pocket for its removal. Limits vary a lot by carrier; the best homeowners insurance providers are clear about per-tree caps and how removal is reimbursed.

Insurance Coverage for Fallen Trees: Exclusions

Homeowners insurance won't cover tree removal if the cause isn't a covered peril or if there's no damage to an insured structure. You're not covered if:

The tree fell due to an excluded event like a flood or earthquake (unless you have separate coverage).
The tree came down because of age, rot or disease, which are considered maintenance issues.
The tree didn't damage anything when it fell.

One exception exists: if the fallen tree blocks a driveway, wheelchair ramp or other access point, your insurer may cover removal even if no structures were damaged.

Should You File an Insurance Claim for Tree Removal?

Filing a home insurance claim for tree removal makes sense only when costs exceed your deductible significantly. If removal costs less than or close to your deductible, you'd pay out of pocket anyway, and filing could still count as a claim on your record. Many homeowners reserve claims for larger losses, like when a tree damages the roof, siding or fence along with needing removal.

If removal costs a few hundred dollars but your deductible is $1,000, hiring a tree service directly makes more financial sense. But if a storm brings down a tree that causes thousands in structural damage, filing a claim ensures repair and removal costs are bundled together under your coverage.

Weigh the cost against your deductible and potential premium impact to decide whether to handle tree removal yourself or involve your insurer.

How to File a Tree Removal Insurance Claim

If a fallen tree damages your property, filing a claim promptly can help ensure removal and repair costs are covered.

1
Document the damage
Take clear photos of the fallen tree, where it landed, and any damage it caused to your home, fence or driveway. This evidence will help your insurer connect the removal costs directly to a covered peril.
2
Prevent further damage
If the tree created hazards like a broken roof or blocked driveway, take reasonable steps to secure the area. Temporary fixes, like covering a roof hole with a tarp, show the insurer you acted responsibly. Save receipts for mitigation materials; most policies reimburse these costs even if they're below your deductible.
3
Contact your insurance company
Report the incident as soon as possible and specify that you’re filing for tree removal due to storm or covered peril damage. The adjuster may ask for photos, receipts and details about the tree’s condition.
4
Get an estimate from a tree removal service
Most insurers will want at least one professional estimate before approving coverage. Ask the contractor to detail the cost of removal and cleanup so it aligns with your claim.
5
Work with the adjuster
Your insurer may send an adjuster to confirm the damage and evaluate whether it qualifies under your policy. Be ready to point out where the tree fell and how it blocked access or damaged structures.
6
Keep receipts for reimbursement
If you need to pay for emergency removal before your claim is approved, save all invoices and receipts. Insurers often reimburse you for covered expenses as long as you provide proper documentation.

How to Protect Yourself From Fallen Tree Damage

Even if insurance covers fallen tree damage, prevention is still the safest and most cost-effective approach to keeping your home insurance premiums affordable. Here are steps you can take to reduce the risk:

Remove damaged or diseased trees

Trees that are rotting, hollow, leaning, or have exposed roots are more likely to fall during a storm. Hire a certified arborist to inspect and remove trees that show signs of structural weakness or disease.

Maintain healthy trees regularly

Even strong trees can become hazardous if left unchecked. Prune your trees uniformly to reduce wind resistance, and remove large or unstable limbs, especially those growing like secondary trunks.

Keep an eye on trees near structures

Pay close attention to trees that overhang your home, driveway or power lines. These pose the highest risk if they fall and should be assessed more frequently.

Document tree maintenance

Keep records of tree inspections, pruning and removal work. If your insurer questions whether a fallen tree was properly maintained, documentation proves you took reasonable care. This can be the difference between an approved and denied claim.

Consider additional coverage for high-risk properties

If you live in an area prone to hurricanes, tornadoes or ice storms, review your policy's tree removal limits. Some insurers offer higher limits through endorsements. Properties with many mature trees may benefit from increased coverage limits.

Does Insurance Cover Tree Removal After Storm: Where to Buy Homeowners Insurance

You can buy homeowners insurance from major providers like State Farm and Progressive, or from newer companies like Lemonade and Hippo. According to MoneyGeek's analysis of industry data, homeowners insurance averages about $175 per month in the U.S., but your rate may vary based on location, coverage levels and risk factors. To find the best deal, compare homeowners insurance quotes across multiple companies.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Tree Removal After Storm: Bottom Line

Homeowners insurance covers tree removal typically only if a tree damages an insured structure or blocks critical access, and the cause is a covered peril.

To avoid unexpected costs, know your policy’s exclusions, especially for events like floods, earthquakes or fallen trees with no damage. Maintain your trees regularly, remove obvious hazards and review your policy limits to ensure you're fully protected.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Downed Trees: FAQ

Understanding how insurance handles fallen trees can be tricky. We answer common questions to help clarify what's covered and what's not.

Will homeowners insurance cover cutting down a tree?

Homeowners insurance covers cutting down trees only after a covered peril causes them to fall and damage your property. The policy doesn't cover preventive tree removal; cutting down a healthy tree before it falls is the homeowner's responsibility.

Will insurance cover a tree that falls but doesn’t hit anything?

If a tree falls but doesn't hit anything, insurance won't cover removal in most cases. Most policies only cover removal if the tree damages an insured structure or blocks access like a driveway or wheelchair ramp.

What if a neighbor’s tree falls on my house?

If a neighbor's tree falls on your house due to a covered peril, your own homeowners insurance pays for the damage and removal. You may be able to recover costs from your neighbor if the tree was clearly neglected.

Does insurance cover damage caused by tree roots?

If you're dealing with tree root damage, insurance won't cover it. Tree root damage is considered a maintenance issue and isn't covered by standard homeowners insurance.

Does homeowners insurance cover storm damage tree removal?

If a storm damages your property and it's a covered peril in your policy, your insurance will cover tree removal when the tree damages an insured structure or blocks access. If there's no damage or the storm type isn't covered, removal costs fall on you.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Fallen Trees: Related Articles

About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. With over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, he conducts original research and creates tailored content for all types of buyers. His insights have been featured in publications like CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!

He writes about economics and insurance, breaking down complex topics so people know what they're buying.

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