Tree Fell on House: What to Do
People and wires first. Then photos, cover and your insurer.
By Jonathan West · reviewed 2026-10-12 ·how we research these
Leave any part of the house that creaks or sags, stay well away from the tree and every wire touching it, and call 911 for injuries, a fire or downed lines. Assume every line touching the tree is live. Once the area is safe, photograph everything before anything moves. Then cover the opening, keep every receipt and report the claim to your own insurer.
Do not cut the tree yourself. Branches under tension can spring back when cut, so hire a licensed and insured tree service for removal. At DIY Repair Guide, we compiled this from the sources linked in the text. The insurance examples use Florida as the worked example, and other states differ.
What to Do First, in Order
Safety comes first. The photos, cover and claim steps come after the area is safe.
- Leave any part of the house where you hear creaking or see a sagging ceiling under the tree.
- Stay well away from the tree, the wires touching it and any standing water near either one.
- Keep children and pets away.
- Call 911 for injuries, a fire or downed lines. Downed lines can also be reported to the electric utility.
- Wait for officials to say it is safe before going back home.
- Photograph everything before anything is moved.
- Cover the opening to stop more damage, and keep every receipt.
- Report the claim to your own insurer.
- Do not cut the tree yourself.
Stay Clear of Wires, Tension and Unstable Sections
The American Red Cross says to avoid damaged or fallen power lines, poles and downed wires, because they can electrocute you. Louis Law Group, a Florida property-insurance law firm, gives the same instruction: assume any line touching a fallen tree is live.
Stay away from the tree, the line and any standing water near either one. Keep children and pets away. Report downed lines to the electric utility or to 911.
A tree can strike the roof and leave a ceiling sagging. If you hear creaking or see a sagging ceiling where the tree hit the roof, leave that part of the house.
A fallen tree can still be under load. Gulf Coast Tree and Land, a Pensacola tree-service company, says not to start cutting until you know what is still under tension. A fallen trunk may still be connected to roots, a bent branch may hold stored tension, and a broken tree may rest against a roof, fence, vehicle or another tree.
A tree that stayed standing can still be dangerous. Look from a safe distance for a new lean, trunk cracks or splits, hanging limbs, broken tops and raised soil or root movement. Do not stand beneath a damaged canopy.
Avoid overworking. Heart attacks are a leading cause of death after a hurricane, according to the Red Cross.
If the power is out, never run a generator or any gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal-burning device inside a home, basement, garage, tent or camper. The Red Cross warns these can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
Get training before you use a chainsaw, and work with a partner when you clear heavy debris, as the Red Cross advises.
Assume any line touching the tree is live. Stay well away from the tree and the line, and call 911 for downed lines or any injury.
Photograph Everything Before Anything Moves
Photograph before anything is moved. Louis Law Group recommends wide photos of the whole tree and house first, then closer shots, then the inside of the house.
- Wide photos of the whole tree and the whole house.
- Closer shots where the tree touches the roof, walls, windows, gutters and fence.
- The root ball or break point.
- Inside the house: ceiling damage, water stains and broken items.
- A short walk-around video of the property.
- The car, if the tree hit it, before anyone moves it.
Cover the Damage and Keep Every Receipt
Your policy may require reasonable steps to protect the property from more damage. Louis Law Group gives examples: tarping a hole in the roof, boarding a broken window, and moving belongings away from leaks.
Do not climb onto a roof the tree hit, and never when it is wet. Hire a licensed and insured roofer to tarp it.
Keep every receipt for tarps, plywood, fasteners and emergency labor. These costs may be reimbursable. Tarp and removal prices vary by area, so get written quotes from licensed and insured contractors.
Avoid permanent repairs before the insurer has inspected, unless they are needed for safety. Document the damage first.
Keep a claim file in one place with:
- The claim number.
- The date, time, name and what was said on every call with the insurer.
- Estimates, invoices, photos and receipts.
- The full policy.
Who Pays: Your Insurer or the Neighbor
Louis Law Group says in most cases your own homeowners policy responds to damage to your house, no matter whose yard the tree grew in, subject to your deductible. When hurricane wind knocks a tree onto the roof, the damage to the home is generally treated as a windstorm loss under your own policy.
| What was damaged | Coverage that generally applies | What to look at |
|---|---|---|
| House or roof | Your homeowners policy, subject to your deductible. Generally treated as a windstorm loss when hurricane wind knocks a tree onto the roof. | The deductible and any separate hurricane deductible on the declarations page |
| Fence or shed | Generally other structures coverage, sometimes labeled Coverage B | A fence-only loss may fall below your deductible |
| Tree removal | May be included when the tree damages the house or a covered structure, often under a separate limit | The debris removal and trees, shrubs and other plants sections of the policy |
| Car | Generally the comprehensive portion of auto insurance | Whether the car has comprehensive coverage, since a liability-only policy may not cover it |
| Flood water | Standard homeowners policies generally exclude flood. Rising water or storm surge is usually covered by a separate flood policy. | Whether you hold a separate flood policy |
A neighbor is generally responsible only if they were negligent. Examples include ignoring a tree they knew, or reasonably should have known, was dead, dying, rotted or leaning dangerously.
Why Not to Cut the Tree Yourself
A tree on the roof calls for controlled removal. Removing one section can shift the remaining weight onto the structure.
Louis Law Group notes that branches under tension can spring back when cut. For anything beyond small limbs on the ground, hire a licensed and insured tree service.
Do not remove the tree yourself when heavy sections are under tension, resting on the house, hanging overhead or near power lines. Gulf Coast Tree and Land says the work should run in this order: understand overhead hazards, identify unstable trees or limbs, address urgent tree problems, restore access, then clean up the rest.
Removal coverage is a separate question. When a tree damages the house or a covered structure, such as a detached garage or shed, the policy may include some removal coverage. That coverage is often subject to a separate limit, such as a set dollar amount per tree, a per-occurrence cap or a percentage of coverage.
A tree that falls across the yard and hits nothing may get limited or no removal coverage. Some policies make an exception when the tree blocks a driveway or an access ramp.
For a tree under tension, on the roof or overhead, hire a licensed and insured tree service.
Claim Deadlines and the Roof Afterward
Florida is the worked example for claim deadlines. Under section 627.70132 of the Florida Statutes, a property insurance claim is barred unless you give your insurer notice within 1 year after the date of loss, as your policy requires. A supplemental claim must come within 18 months.
For hurricanes, tornadoes, windstorms and severe rain, the date of loss is the date the hurricane made landfall or the weather event occurred. The limits are paused during a servicemember's deployment to a combat zone.
Other states set their own deadlines. Read your policy for its notice terms.
Ask the adjuster to inspect the whole roof, and the spot under the tree too. A trunk or heavy limb can break roof decking, crack trusses and tear underlayment. Wind may also have lifted shingles elsewhere on the roof.
Section 627.701 of the Florida Statutes says a separate roof deductible does not apply to a roof loss from a hurricane. It also does not apply to a roof loss from a tree fall or other hazard that damages the roof and punctures the roof deck. A hurricane deductible is separate and may apply to a hurricane loss, and the declarations page shows its dollar value.
If the roof was already aging, see how long a roof lasts and what roof replacement costs.
Call your insurer today, ask the adjuster to inspect the whole roof, and keep the claim file updated with every call.
Common questions
Who pays for a tree that falls on your property?
Your own homeowners policy generally pays for damage to your house, subject to your deductible, no matter whose yard the tree grew in. A neighbor generally pays only if they were negligent, such as by ignoring a tree they knew was dead, dying, rotted or leaning dangerously. Removal, fences, cars and flood each follow different rules.
Does homeowners insurance cover fallen trees from a storm?
In most cases your homeowners policy responds to damage to the house from a fallen tree. When hurricane wind knocks a tree onto the roof, the damage is generally treated as a windstorm loss, but tree removal may have a separate limit and standard policies generally exclude flood. Read your policy wording for your deductible and limits.
Do you call 911 if a tree falls on your house?
Yes, call 911 for injuries, a fire or downed lines. Report downed lines to the electric utility or to 911, and assume any line touching the tree is live. Wait for officials to say the area is safe before going back home.
If a neighbor's tree falls on your property, who is responsible?
The neighbor is generally responsible only if they were negligent, such as by ignoring a tree they knew, or reasonably should have known, was dead, dying, rotted or leaning dangerously. A healthy tree that falls in hurricane-force wind is sometimes called an act of nature, and the neighbor generally did nothing wrong. Your insurer may pay first and then pursue the neighbor or their insurer.
Should I wait for the adjuster before removing the tree?
Photograph the tree and the damage before anything moves, and avoid permanent repairs before the insurer inspects unless they are needed for safety. A tree under tension, on the roof or overhead is a safety matter for a licensed and insured tree service.
Can I cut up a tree that fell on my roof myself?
No. Branches under tension can spring back when cut, and removing one section can shift the remaining weight onto the roof. For anything beyond small limbs on the ground, use a licensed and insured tree service.