What To Do When Your Tree Falls

|3.2.20

Unfortunately, even healthy trees can sometimes fall – and when they do, there is no way to control where they strike. Falling trees can hit homes, cars, fences and dozens of other structures and pieces of personal property; sometimes, even people can be hurt when hit by a fallen tree or one of its limbs. If your tree has fallen and you’re not sure what your next steps should be, this post is for you. Let’s dive in!

Step 1: Assess the Damage

First thing first, you need to assess the damage of the fallen tree and the area surrounding it. Double check that nobody was hurt, and look for things like downed power lines or gas lines. If you notice any of those things you should call 911 right away to address the situation. Hopefully, none of these instances apply and you’ll be able to focus on assessing the physical damage.

If your home or a neighbor’s home was struck by a tree, use this time to cover any holes or clean up any glass to keep the area safe to work around. Don’t make any permanent fixes – you’ll want to wait until you talk to your insurance company – more on that later. 

Step 2: Call Your Insurance

Once you’ve made sure that nobody was hurt and that there isn’t an emergency situation that needs to be handled, it’s time to call the insurance company or companies. Of course, you should call your homeowners insurance company since the tree is on your property. However, if the tree fell and hit your car you should also call your car insurance company. On the other hand, if your tree hit your neighbor’s home or car they will also need to call their insurance. 

Since the tree is on your property, your insurance company should cover a large portion of any repairs that need to be completed – to your home or your neighbors. You will probably have to pay your deductible and depending on your policy only certain fixes may be approved, or you may be limited on covered fixes by the policy coverage you have. Your insurance agent will be able to best advise you. 

Step 3: Call an Arborist

Now that the insurance agent has assessed the damage and has completed their report, you’re free to remove the tree and begin any needed repairs. Obviously, removing a tree, especially a large one is not a job for an inexperienced person. Instead, contact an arborist or tree removal and clearing service to handle this part for you. You will have enough on your plate to worry about without having to spend hours of your time removing the tree. 

Once the tree is removed, you can contact contractors or start the work yourself to repair the damage caused by the tree. 

If you’re in the Central Texas area and need a tree removed from your property, Brents Tree Service is the experienced team for the job. Give us a call today for all of your tree needs – including preventative maintenance to reduce your chances of having to deal with a fallen tree. We look forward to hearing from you.