Tree Fell on House: What to Do First and What Insurance Covers

1. Get people out of the damaged rooms. A trunk resting on a roof can shift, and a ceiling holding branches or water can come down. If the structure looks compromised, leave and wait outside, well away from the tree.
2. Treat every downed line as live. Duke Energy's storm guidance says to consider all fallen or sagging power lines, and any trees, limbs or anything else touching them, energized and dangerous. Keep children and pets away and report the hazard to your electric utility or local emergency services.
3. If you smell gas, leave. Duke Energy's natural gas safety page says to evacuate everyone, keep others back, and call 911 and the gas company from a safe location. Don't use light switches or anything that could make a spark, and don't go back in until the utility clears it.
4. Call 911 if anyone is injured or trapped, or if there is fire or sparking.
5. Stay off the roof and leave the chainsaw alone. More on that below.

Your claim rests on what the damage looked like before anything moved. The NC Department of Insurance tells homeowners to photograph the damage before and after emergency repairs and to keep all receipts to submit with the claim.

• Wide shots of the tree on the house from every side you can safely reach, plus the broken trunk or stump and where it stood. If it came from a neighbor's yard, that matters later.
• Close-ups of the roof, gutters, siding, windows and fences.
• Inside: ceilings, walls, stains and anything broken. A slow room-by-room video works well.
• The date and time of the storm, and a written list of what's damaged.
• Every receipt, from tarps to hotel nights.

Then call your agent or insurance company. NCDOI's claims guidance says to report as soon as possible to arrange an adjuster visit, and to expect delays after a big storm.

This step isn't optional. NCDOI puts it plainly: "Your policy requires you to make reasonable emergency repairs necessary to prevent further damage" to your home and its contents.

That means getting the hole covered and the water out quickly, then stopping there. NCDOI advises against extensive repairs before the adjuster arrives and says not to throw out damaged personal property.

If the tree is still on the roof, its weight generally has to come off before the opening can be properly covered, so the tree crew and the roofer work in sequence. In Eastern North Carolina, Carolina Trophy Roofs handles storm damage roof work and says it tarps the same day when water is coming in, then documents the roof the way an adjuster needs to see it.

A tree on a roof is loaded like a spring: cut the wrong piece first and weight drops through the ceiling or a limb whips back at the cutter. OSHA's tree-work sheet warns that trees pinned under fallen trees can act like spring poles and propel back, and it lists falls from heights and nearby power lines among the hazards.

That is why a tree on a house is a job for a crew with rigging or a crane, not a homeowner on a ladder. Wait until the utility has dealt with any lines, then call a tree service.

In Eastern North Carolina, IronCelt's tree removal service handles fallen pines and other storm-damaged trees, including trees on buildings and across driveways, once utilities and the work area are safe. Its site describes controlled sectional removal, rigging and crane-assisted work, debris hauling and optional stump grinding.

The house and what's in it. The Insurance Information Institute says a standard policy covers damage to the home or another insured structure, such as a detached garage, plus the contents, when a tree hits it.

Tree removal, up to a cap. If the tree hit an insured structure, the policy covers removing it, generally up to about $500 to $1,000 depending on the insurer and the policy, according to the Institute. NCDOI says most companies pay, up to a limit, to remove a tree from a damaged structure such as a home, garage or fence, but not from your yard. Ask your agent for your exact limit.

A tree that missed everything usually isn't covered. The Institute says there's generally no debris-removal coverage if the tree didn't hit an insured structure, though some insurers will pay to remove one blocking a driveway or a ramp built for accessibility.

Replacing your trees is limited. Standard policies cover trees and shrubs for perils such as fire, lightning, explosion, theft, vandalism and vehicles not owned by the resident, generally capped at 5 percent of the dwelling coverage, with most insurers also capping any one tree. Wind is not among the perils the Institute lists for replacing trees and shrubs, so ask your agent how your policy handles a tree that blew down.

If it was your neighbor's tree, you still file with your own insurer. The Institute says your company may try to collect from the neighbor's insurer through subrogation, and if it succeeds you may get your deductible back. It also notes that poor maintenance is not covered, so keep your own trees healthy.

For a large claim, or an estimate that looks short, a public adjuster can handle the claim for you. NCDOI explains that a public adjuster works for the policyholder, appraises the damage, reviews coverage and negotiates the settlement, and that you pay them. Mantis Claims Group, a North Carolina public adjuster, lists fallen trees among the storm damage it helps document; its fees are contingency-based and set out in a written agreement before representation begins.

There's no honest single number without seeing the tree; costs vary widely. IronCelt's pricing notes list what drives the quote:

• Tree height, trunk size and condition
• Access to the tree, which often matters as much as size
• Distance from buildings or power lines
• Whether climbing or crane support is needed
• How much material has to be hauled away
• Stump grinding and ground protection

Get the estimate in writing and compare it with your policy's tree-removal limit, so you know what part, if any, comes out of pocket.

Once the tree is off and the adjuster has seen the damage, the roof can be fixed properly. NCDOI says not to have permanent repairs made until your insurer has inspected the property and you've agreed on the cost of repairs.

A tree heavy enough to break shingles may have damaged the decking or framing underneath, so the inspection should include the attic, not just a look from the ground.

Carolina Trophy Roofs offers free storm inspections with a photographed written report you can hand to your insurer, meets the adjuster on the roof, and handles roof repair from a slope of shingles to a full replacement across Eastern North Carolina.