Pro edition
Storm Plan
Written for the first hour, when the decisions that matter get made by someone standing in the rain who has never dealt with this before. Print it now, not then.
Storm line · (828) 555-0199
The first hour, in order
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Get everyone out from under it
If any part of the tree is on the structure, leave the rooms beneath and beside it. Creaking means it is still moving.
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Look for wires before anything else
A conductor under a tree can energise the whole canopy and the wet ground around it. Assume every wire is live and call the utility, not a tree company.
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Photograph before anything is cut
Wide shots, then close: the root plate, the failure point, every damaged surface. Once a crew starts cutting, the evidence is gone.
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Decide whether this is a 2am call
Structure hit, occupants displaced, or a road blocked — call now. Everything else costs 25–50% less in daylight.
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Rope off the drop zone
One and a half times the tree height, in every direction it could still go.
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Do not tarp a roof in wind
It is the second-most common storm injury we hear about, after chainsaws.
How the claim actually works
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| What is usually covered | Removal where the tree struck an insured structure, plus repair of what it hit. |
| What usually is not | A tree down in the yard that hit nothing, and routine removal of a hazardous but standing tree. |
| Typical sublimit | $500 – $1,000 per tree, around $5,000 in total. |
| Deductible interaction | On a small removal the deductible often exceeds the payout. Ask before you file. |
| What adjusters want | Dated photographs, an itemised invoice separating removal from repair, and a written cause of failure. |
General guidance, not insurance advice. Policies differ — read yours, and ask your adjuster.
Documentation
- Photograph the failure point close enough to show whether it was decay or a green break
- Photograph the root plate — a lifted plate is a different claim from a snapped stem
- Keep the arborist report; a written cause of failure is what turns a denial into a payment
- Itemise: removal, structure repair and stump grinding are three different lines to an adjuster
- Do not sign a blanket authorisation with an out-of-town crew that knocks on the door after a storm
Afterwards
- Should the neighbouring trees be checked?
- Yes, and soon. A tree that survived the same wind with a partially failed root plate looks fine and is not. This is the most valuable inspection of the year.
- Is the stump urgent?
- No. It can wait for a scheduled visit at standard rates, and grinding is cheaper when it is not part of an emergency call-out.
- Will the remaining trees be less stable now?
- Sometimes. Trees in a group shelter each other, and removing one exposes the rest to wind they have never carried. Worth an assessment before the next season.