When the Trees Fall: What’s Covered (and What’s Not) in Your Homeowners Insurance
The recent ice storm has left Northern Michigan looking like a scene out of a disaster movie—massive tree limbs down, debris scattered across lawns, and streets blocked. It’s been heartbreaking to watch and overwhelming to clean up.
As your local insurance team, we’ve been fielding a lot of calls about fallen trees and what’s covered under homeowners policies. So let’s talk about it.
Here’s the Good News First:
If a tree damaged a covered structure—your house, garage, shed, or even a fence—most homeowners policies will help cover the cost to remove the part of the tree that caused the damage. They’ll also help pay to repair the structure itself, subject to your deductible.
So if a giant limb crashed through your roof, call us. That’s likely a covered claim.
Now for the Part That Catches Many People Off Guard:
If the tree fell into your yard and didn’t hit anything, most policies do not cover the removal of the tree.
We know—it doesn’t feel fair. You didn’t ask for the tree to fall. But homeowners insurance is designed to cover damage, not yard clean-up unless there’s a direct loss to property.
Even When There Is Coverage, It’s Limited
Many policies provide a specific amount for tree removal—typically $500 to $1,500. So when multiple trees came down, your policy might only cover a portion of the cleanup.
Tips to Keep in Mind Right Now:
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Take photos of everything before cleanup begins.
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Save your receipts if you hire someone to remove a tree.
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If in doubt, call us first. We can review your policy and help you understand what’s covered.
Be wary of price gouging or “storm chasers.” Only work with reputable, insured contractors or arborists
