A tree on your house is one of the most jarring things a homeowner can experience. The sound, the sudden exposure to the elements, the uncertainty about what is still structurally sound — it is overwhelming. Here is what to do, in order, to stay safe and protect your claim.
Phase III Construction responds to tree-on-structure damage across SE Michigan. We have seen every scenario: healthy trees that fell in wind, diseased trees the neighbor ignored for years, root failures that looked random. Here is what matters most in the first hours.
Immediate Steps — First 30 Minutes
- Get everyone out of the affected area of the house. Do not go under or near the area where the tree is resting. The structure may have shifted and the tree can move.
- Call 911 if anyone is injured or if the tree has hit a gas line, electrical service, or if the structure appears to be in imminent collapse.
- Turn off gas and electricity at the main if water has entered the home or if you smell gas or see sparks.
- Call your insurance company to report the loss. You do not need all the details yet — just the date, what happened, and your address. This establishes your notice date.
- Do not call a tree removal company yet. The tree needs to be documented and inspected before removal. Removing it before documentation can remove evidence the adjuster needs.
Document Before Anyone Touches the Tree
The adjuster needs to see the tree in place to understand the impact. Your documentation also protects you if there is any dispute about the cause or scope of damage.
- Photograph the tree from multiple angles: where it broke or uprooted, where it landed, the contact point with the structure
- Photograph the interior of the home under the impact area: ceiling, walls, floor, any structural members that are visible
- If you can safely access the attic, photograph the roof deck from underneath
- Video walk the entire affected area narrating what you see
- Photograph the tree's base — if it uprooted, show the root ball; if it snapped, show the break point. Root rot, disease, and insect damage are visible at the base and matter for liability questions.
Do not let a tree service company remove the tree before the adjuster has either inspected or explicitly cleared you to proceed. Once the tree is gone, so is the evidence. Most adjusters can respond quickly to emergency situations and will often review your photos if they cannot come immediately.
Whose Tree Was It? Who Pays?
This is the question every homeowner asks first: if it was my neighbor's tree, do they pay?
The general rule in Michigan:
- Your homeowner policy covers the damage to your home regardless of whose tree it was.
- You file a claim against your own policy for the structural damage.
- Your carrier may then pursue your neighbor's liability insurance through a process called subrogation — but that happens between the insurance companies, not between you and your neighbor.
When is a neighbor potentially liable?
In Michigan, a property owner has a duty to address known hazards on their property. If your neighbor's tree was visibly dead, diseased, or leaning dangerously and you (or someone) notified them in writing before it fell, they may bear liability for the resulting damage through their homeowner liability coverage.
If the tree was healthy and simply fell in a storm — which is common in Michigan wind events — the neighbor is generally not liable. Wind damage to a healthy tree is an "act of nature" not attributable to negligence.
What this means practically:
- File against your own policy immediately. Do not wait to resolve the neighbor question.
- If you believe the neighbor's tree was diseased or they had notice, document it — photos of the tree's condition, any written communications you sent them.
- Let the insurance companies sort out subrogation. Your job is to protect your home and document the damage.
What Insurance Covers
Standard Michigan homeowner policies (HO-3 and HO-5 forms) typically cover tree-on-house damage as follows:
What is covered:
- Structural damage to the dwelling (roof, walls, windows, doors, interior ceilings/floors)
- Damage to attached structures (garage, covered porch)
- Tree removal costs up to a sub-limit when the tree has damaged a covered structure (commonly $500–$1,000 per tree — check your policy)
- Temporary living expenses if the home is uninhabitable (Additional Living Expenses coverage)
- Personal property damaged by the tree impact
What is often not covered:
- Tree removal when the tree fell in the yard and did not hit a covered structure
- Preventive tree removal you do yourself before a storm
- Damage from a tree you knew was dead or diseased and did not address
Pro tip: The tree removal sub-limit in most standard policies is low — $500 per tree. Large trees require professional removal that typically costs $1,500–$5,000+ in Michigan. Review your policy to understand this gap and consider a policy endorsement if you have large trees on your property.
Emergency Board-Up and Temporary Protection
Once the tree is documented, your priority is stopping weather intrusion. A tree that punched through your roof will let rain, wind, and animals into your home within hours if not covered.
Emergency protection steps:
- The tree company — when cleared to proceed — should coordinate with the roofing contractor to ensure the tarp goes on before they lift the tree. Lifting the tree without the tarp ready can allow the opening to shift and worsen.
- Any broken windows should be boarded immediately
- Interior areas under the breach should have water-absorbing materials deployed and fans running if moisture has entered
→ Phase III handles emergency board-up across SE Michigan and coordinates with tree removal to sequence the work correctly.
Tree Removal — How It Works with Insurance
Tree removal is a separate line item from structural repair in most insurance estimates. Here is how to navigate it:
- Get a written quote from a licensed tree removal company for the full cost of removal including grinding the stump if desired.
- Your insurance will typically pay up to the sub-limit in your policy for tree removal when the tree damaged a covered structure. You pay the difference.
- Some policies have higher sub-limits or endorsements — read the exact policy language before assuming you owe the gap.
- If multiple trees fell and each hit a covered structure, the sub-limit typically applies per tree.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in most cases. Structural damage from a tree falling during a storm is typically covered under your dwelling coverage. Tree removal is covered up to a sub-limit when the tree damaged a covered structure.
Your own homeowner insurance covers the damage regardless of whose tree fell. Your carrier may pursue your neighbor's liability policy through subrogation if the tree was diseased or the neighbor was negligent — but that happens between the insurance companies.
If the tree fell on a covered structure, tree removal is covered up to a policy sub-limit (commonly $500–$1,000). If the tree fell in your yard without hitting a structure, removal is typically your expense.
Document everything thoroughly with photos first, then call your carrier and explain the situation. Most adjusters will work from your documentation for emergency situations. Do not let a tree service remove the tree without at least clearing it with your carrier first.
House damage goes through your homeowner policy. Vehicle damage goes through your auto comprehensive coverage. Two separate claims, two separate deductibles potentially applying.
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